Wolverhampton Sikh temple donates £50k to hospitals to aid coronavirus fight
A Sikh temple in Wolverhampton has donated £50,000 to help hospital patients stay in touch with their families during the coronavirus crisis.
Trustees and worshippers from the Guru Teg Bahadur Gurdwara donated the cash to The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHBT).
The trusts say they plan to use the cash to buy tablets that NHS staff will use to connect Covid-19 patients with family and friends who are unable to visit them during the pandemic.
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UHBT, which operates the new Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham, is buying 100 tablets, while RWT, which runs New Cross Hospital, will use some of the cash to support staff welfare projects.
Former city MP Paul Uppal, a trustee at the temple on Upper Villiers Street, said: "Our trustees and members of the temple are incredibly passionate about the NHS and wanted to support the local services that are delivering exceptional care under unprecedented circumstances.
"We hope the donation helps to bring some comfort to those hospitalised by the virus and to their families and friends, as well as to the frontline NHS workers who are doing everything within their power to get us all through this crisis."
RWT chief executive David Loughton said: "During this challenging time, we have been astounded by the generosity shown by businesses, individuals and members of the local communities we serve.
"Thank you to the Guru Teg Bahadur Sikh Gurdwara. Their donation will enable us to fund projects that will not only support our patients throughout this difficult time, but also our dedicated hardworking staff who, as always, have gone above and beyond to support our patients and their families."
Dr David Rosser, chief executive at UHBT, said the trust was grateful for the donation. "The money will have a huge impact and I’ve no doubt will go some way to easing the pain for patients, families and staff during this challenging time," he added.
"We are overwhelmed by the generosity of our local communities, as well as by organisations and individuals. We are incredibly grateful for all the support we have received."
