Pathway calls on Brighton shoppers to help homeless patients
Pathway, a small charity helping seriously ill homeless people, has been shortlisted for a supermarket charity scheme across Brighton and Hove. Tesco ‘Bags of Help’ gives money raised from carrier bag sales to community projects. Pathway is one of three groups that has been shortlisted for a grant of up to £4000.
The Pathway team at Brighton and Sussex University Hospital helps homeless patients to:
Find accommodation,
- Sort out financial problems,
- Register with a GP,
- Reconnect with lost family and loved ones.
Without help from Pathway teams, many hospitals would be forced to discharge homeless patients to sleep rough after treatment, running the risk of their illness returning. Brighton and Sussex University Hospital is one of only 11 hospitals across England to offer this specialist support.
During May and June Tesco shoppers in Brighton will be able to vote for Pathway and other shortlisted charities using a token given to them at the checkout each time they shop. Alex Bax, Chief Executive of Pathway said:
“Your token in the box can make a real difference to homeless people. A little bit of help from a Pathway team can help people get life back on track.”
Bags of Help has already given over £36 million to nearly 8000 projects across the UK. Alec Brown, Head of Community at Tesco, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to open the voting for May and June. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see these come to life in hundreds of communities.”
Money raised by the scheme will go towards ‘Dignity in Care’ packages, making sure patients have toiletries and pyjamas during their stay, clean warm clothes when they are discharged, and bedding and crockery if they are moving into a home for the first time.
Ends
Notes to Editors
- The Bags of Help initiative is supported by money raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores.
- The scheme is administered by Groundwork.
- Bags of Help funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. For more information please visit: www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp
- Customers can vote for Pathway at the following Tesco stores:
6012 Brighton – Queen’s Road Tesco Express (BN1 3XF)
5321 Brighton – Jubilee Street Tesco Express (BN1 1GE)
3461 Brighton – Western Road Tesco Express (BN3 1JB)
2724 Hove – Droveway Tesco Express (BN3 6LE)
2700 Hove – Tesco Superstore (BN3 2DL)
2704 Hove – Denmark Villas Tesco Express (BN3 3TJ)
2696 Hove – Tesco Express (BN3 6NF)
6576 Hove – Westway Tesco Express (BN3 8LD)
3052 Portslade – Tesco Metro (BN41 1GB)
3447 Woodingdean – Tesco Express (BN2 6BB)
About Pathway
Pathway works to improve healthcare for people who are homeless. We’ve helped the NHS create 11 teams of doctors, nurses and social care professionals work across England, supporting 3500 patients every year. Pathway also develops models to facilitate improvements in patient care, carries out research in new and developing areas, provides training for healthcare professionals and supports specialist commissioning. The charity hosts The Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health, a network of over 1000 professionals involved in healthcare for people on the edges of society.