Charities pledge to Deliver the Difference at NHS Grampian’s new healthcare facilities

Published: 29/06/2022 14:00

Two north-east charities are running campaigns aimed at Delivering the Difference by providing extra special touches at two new NHS Grampian buildings.

The £244.8million Baird Family Hospital and ANCHOR Centre project - currently under construction at the Foresterhill Health Campus, in Aberdeen – is the biggest NHS capital project currently under way in Scotland.

Supporting NHS Grampian, The Archie Foundation and Friends of ANCHOR are determined to play their part in ensuring the facilities are welcoming to patients, staff and visitors.

These two much-loved local charities will be Delivering the Difference by funding art and environmental enhancements, special finishing touches and additional clinical equipment, in both buildings, to complement the core equipment and furnishings being provided by the NHS.

The Archie Foundation is raising funds to enhance the new Baird facility, while Friends of ANCHOR will do the same for the new oncology and haematology ANCHOR Centre. Meanwhile the other key member of the Delivering the Difference partnership is the University of Aberdeen Development Trust, which is raising funds to ensure services provided are at the forefront of research and teaching.

The Archie Foundation and Friends of ANCHOR are hoping to raise £2m each, which will help fund upgrades across a wide range of facilities – including, for example, enhanced birthing pools in the new Baird building, upgraded treatment chairs in The ANCHOR Centre and contributing to art and environmental enhancements in both buildings.

New hoardings have been put in place along Westburn Road, at the site, in support of their efforts.

Friends of ANCHOR director, Sarah-Jane Hogg, said: “Our partnership with NHS Grampian will further enhance this excellent facility to ensure it’s the best it can possibly be.

“We’re very thankful to our supporters, whose generosity has taken our fundraising so far to £1.5m. With half a million still to raise, we look forward to sharing more about what our support in The ANCHOR Centre will look like.

Paula Cormack, chief executive of The Archie Foundation, said: “It is a real privilege for The Archie Foundation to be involved in such a key project not just for the north-east but for Scotland overall. Our donors and supporters have been making the difference for babies, children and families for nearly forty years now and we are so grateful for their renewed support of Archie’s Baird Appeal.”

Kelly Anderson, lead fundraiser for medical research at the University of Aberdeen, said: “The Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre are positive news for healthcare provision and medical research in the north-east, and we are excited to support these outstanding facilities through our research into cancer and women’s health.

“By choosing to make a gift to the University of Aberdeen through the Development Trust you will help fund research that will generate new insights in women’s health and make a significant impact on how we diagnose, treat and prevent cancer for the benefit of families in the north-east of Scotland and beyond.”

NHS Grampian’s project director, Jackie Bremner said: “Experience tells us that the types of enhancements planned make all the difference to our patients, staff and visitors.

“We are delighted to have our three charity partners on board with us, making a vital contribution to the future of NHS Grampian for the people of the north-east."

For more information please visit www.bairdanchor.org/fundraising