Thanks to donations from local communities over the last 12 months, Hywel Dda Health Charities has been able to buy thousands of items to make life better for hospital patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From toiletries, clothing and pyjamas, at a time when patients couldn’t receive visitors, to electrical items, games, activities, arts and crafts, this vital funding has been used to make hospital stays more comfortable at an anxious time.

In addition, over £20,000 of items were donated for patients through the Hywel Dda Covid-19 patient appeal, an Amazon wish list, set up by the charity at the start of the pandemic to provide essentials for patients when visiting wasn’t possible.

In liaison with Hywel Dda Health Charities, the health board’s Patient Experience Team has been in charge of making sure items get to patients that need them most.

Emma Haycocks, manager of the Patient Advice and Liaison Service said: “The funding has meant that we have been able to provide thousands of items to help our patients during the pandemic.

“It has been an anxious time for patients and our NHS staff have faced unprecedented challenges. But the support of the public has made a huge difference. We are very grateful.”

There have been over 3,000 items purchased, including games, activities, arts and crafts, lapboards, gardening items, toys, puzzles, wordsearch books, knitting items and exercise equipment, to help keep patients occupied, especially when they were not able to have visitors.

Trolleys and storage boxes were also provided for patient property drop-off at the start of the pandemic.

And the charity bought radios, TVs and DVD players to alleviate boredom during hospital stays and washer-dryers for patients who couldn’t receive clean clothes from relatives.

Over 1,000 welcome packs – containing eye masks, ear plugs, headphones, combs, toothbrushes and paste – were bought to help make a patient’s stay in hospital more comfortable, in a link-up between Hywel Dda Health Charities and the South West and Mid Wales branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, Nicola Llewelyn, said the support for the local NHS during the pandemic had been “phenomenal”.