Many people’s lives have been uprooted over the last few months. It is a scary and daunting time for everyone, particularly for people with learning disabilities and autism who can find changes to life even harder to understand. But we put them and their families at the heart of what we do to make sure that here and now, we can say we are doing our absolute best.
Support frontline care staff with a donation today
To all of our incredible supporters we think you are amazing! During this difficult and turbulent time amazing people just like you have chosen to generously donate to our Urgent Pandemic Appeal – and we want to say from the bottom of our hearts a big thank you!
Caring for over 2,500 people and employing 3,000 staff, as a charity in the underfunded and under resourced social care system is hugely challenging. We need to ensure people with learning disabilities in our care are protected. Our skilled and passionate frontline care staff are working tirelessly to support them through these unprecedented times.
We can’t predict exactly how the virus will affect us, but we can be sure that it will have a large and long-term impact on our ability to deliver our full range of services for people with learning disabilities. It is not just a case of if, but when, and we must adapt, however and wherever the need is greatest – and this is how your donation will be used.
Our immediate focus is ensuring staff and the people we support have access to vital supplies and services. Your donation will help:
Give basic care 
£10 could purchase shop vouchers for urgent purchases of supplies such as food and hand gels
Protect frontline staff £25 could provide additional Personal Protective Equipment to ensure care staff are protected from the virus
Be there for families £50 could help us be there for even more families through our Family Carer Support Service to help them navigate these daunting times
Give reassurance £100 could provide Personalised Technology like panic buttons or door sensors for people with learning disabilities who find isolation difficult and unsettling
“I am so proud to share this profession with such a caring and dedicated person. This isn’t just a job to them; they genuinely care for William and want the absolute best for him. They’re all superstars – just what this industry needs!”
A lovely message from an NHS nurse who worked with one of our support workers
We’ve received many messages of thanks for our staff, and we know many of you are looking for ways to help at this critical time. By donating to the Hft Pandemic Fund, you’ll be raising vital funds for Hft’s frontline support staff when they need you most, to ensure some of the most vulnerable people in society continue to get the care they need.
We know that not everyone may be able to make a donation during this time – but your help and support is still very much needed and appreciated.
There are many ways you can show your support for frontline staff and people with learning disabilities. We’ve put together some ideas on how you can support Hft in a way that suits you. For ideas on fundraising at home, including virtual fundraising, click below.
Fundraise for Hft’s Pandemic Appeal
You can also Give as You Live, shop through Amazon Smile and nominate us as your chosen charity, see how here. Thank you for your continued help of Hft’s frontline care staff and people with learning disabilities. If you have any queries at this time, please contact hello@hft.org.uk or 0117 906 1699. We’ve set up a Covid-19 information page to keep everyone, especially families and relatives, updated on current practices, guidelines and processes.
To our amazing care workers and managers – as always – thank you!
We welcome you to join us in thanking frontline staff by sharing the image below on your social media platform – remember to use the hashtags #HftHeroes and #coronaheroes. During the lockdown we’re limited to how many people we can reach to talk about our appeal, if you’d like to help us spread the word, we have a ready-to-print poster for people to put in windows that face their main street, you can download here.