Black Country and Staffordshire hospital charities receive £3m through fundraising and donations

Some of the money was used to fund medical equipment, refurbish wards and support staff training.

Cash was also spent on items which help make patients' stay in hospital more comfortable, such as gifts at Christmas, audio and TV equipment and information leaflets.

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity was boosted by £1,104,000, including £367,000 in donations, £57,000 in legacies and £45,000 generated through fundraising.

Some of the cash was spent on activity boxes for dementia patients using music and photographs, helping them to reconnect with their family members and loved ones while in hospital. A quiet room for teenage and young adults was also refurbished using some of the money.

The Dudley Group NHS Charity received more than £500,000 including £162,000 in donations and fundraising and £106,000 in legacies.

Among the fundraising activities was a charity football match held at Stourbridge FC in aid of the emergency department and a skydive challenge.

Fundraising manager Karen Phillips said: "As always I am overwhelmed by the generosity and energy of our supporters. "Their enthusiastic and often imaginative fundraising is an inspiration.

"Most people have a story behind their fundraising and it is always touching to hear of their positive experiences and their wish to show their thanks to the wonderful staff here at Dudley Group."

Adventurous fundraisers managed to raise £3,100 for the maternity services appeal by taking part in a sponsored abseil off The New Art Gallery in July.

More than £1.6m has been donated to the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, which runs Stafford's County Hospital, during the past 12 months.

Charity manager Steve Rushton said: "This fantastic support is making a huge difference, especially at County Hospital.

"We have been able to fund new technology, such as a diagnostic imaging systems for Endoscopy.

"We have also been able to support equipment that will improve patient experience.

"This includes patient recliners in the discharge lounge and mobility aids in elderly care and the Acute Stroke Unit.

"We're also particularly proud that we have been able to support the new teams in the new Midwife Birthing Centre and the new Children's Emergency Centre through new artwork, which has really brought the new facilities to life.

"On behalf of our patients and staff at County Hospital I would like to thank all of those who have given, donated or raised money."

The charity at Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust has spent more than £1million on projects aimed at tacking health inequality. Around £250,000 has been granted to a scheme with Sandwell Women's Aid to ensure the swift identification of and response to domestic abuse and interpersonal violence. A £45,000 grant has also gone to fund the development of a weekly diabetes clinic in the community. The charity has also funded specialist equipment for babies born early with jaundice, enabling them to receive light therapy whilst being held by their parents instead of being under lights in a cot.

Director of communications Ruth Wilkin said: "We often find that patients who have benefitted from care across the Trust want to give something back and so they do this by donating to the trust charity. We receive one off gifts and regular donations from many grateful people as well as legacies from those that have sadly passed away – many of whom, of course, will have made their decision in favour of the trust charity many years ago."

During the past year Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust received a total of £93,079 in donations to its charitable fund, plus legacies totalling £185,717 to the cancer fund and general purposes fund.

The hospital trust has benefited from fundraising events including the October Grand Night Out organised by local businessman and lung cancer patient Jack Moody who raised around £25,000 to buy a medical thoracoscopy machine.