Welcome to the first ever At The Flicks appeal.
This one is very personal, and I will hand over to Leslie to explain what the appeal is for and its importance.
Thank you for reading.
“Hi, my name is Leslie. I am and have been a passionate nurse since qualifying in 1981. I want to give back to nursing by promoting the well-being of nurses as well as the projects they are initiating to improve the health and well-being of their patients.
In 2023 I am raising funds for a project in Cape Town named Robin Trust. I founded it 30 years ago as a Non Profit Organisation (Charity) which came out of my own daughter’s illness. Sadly my daughter had a genetic illness, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy (MLD), resulting in profound disabilities and limiting her life.
I was a single mother so used my nursing knowledge to train a carer to provide Robyn with the help she needed while I was at work as a nurse. It worked well for me and the carer. I had intentionally looked for someone who was loving but due to circumstances did not have a job. The amazing person who filled the role came from Khayelitsha – a poor township near cape Town. To my surprise I started to get calls from carers wanting to work and from people needing a carer.
From a small beginning Robin Trust has grown and 30 years later it is an established charity offering home-based care, dementia and frail care, step-down (sub-acute) care and trains carers.
From the beginning the carers have been the main beneficiaries.
Unemployed and previously disadvantaged people are trained as carers undertaking their theory and practical course at the training school at the Robin Trust. On completion of their 3 month programme some are employed by Robin Trust or other Care Agencies, Frail Cares or in private homes. This provides much needed employment in Cape Town, where the unemployment is 26.9%. Currently the home-based service alone employs approximately 200 carers.
At Robin Trust most income is generated by the services provided with the surplus going back into the service as well as a bursary fund which subsidises students training as carers.
Therefore for new developments it is necessary to raise the required funds.
Currently fundraising is required to develop a facility to provide palliative care. Robin Trust would like provide two beds funded by the Robin Trust for people in financial need near the end of their lives. Care provided will include excellent, compassionate nursing from the trained registered nurses and care team, pain relief and respite for families. I learnt during Robyn’s illness how vital this service is and the support it gives to the individual as well as their family. This will benefit students training at the organisation giving them valuable experience in palliative care while extending the services provided by the Robin Trust. To offer this needed service Robin Trust requires the funding to renovate and kit out two rooms to the standards required by the registering health authority. Once this is done the on-going costs will be met by the Robin Trust. The set-up cost per bed is £3,000.
I will be running in my second event on the 3 September 2023 and extending my distance to 10km. Please support me by donating to the Robin Trust project to equip two beds for individuals requiring end of life care.”
Links
Go Fund Me Page
Robin Trust
Film List
Below is a list of all the films and TV Shows referenced in this Podcast.
- Philomena
