St Barnabas Hospice Lincolnshire has received a grant of £75,000, from the proceeds of the auction of Banksy’s artwork, Game Changer.
The painting was gifted to Southampton Hospitals Charity in May 2020 (during the height of the Covid Pandemic), and funds have been distributed throughout the UK to benefit a wider community of healthcare providers and charities that work to enhance the care and treatment provided by the NHS. The work was conceived as a ‘thank you’ to NHS staff who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic.
Chris Twigg, Grants and Trusts Fundraising Manager at St Barnabas said: “At St Barnabas we rely solely on charitable donations and grants to fund the delivery of our Wellbeing, Welfare and Benefits Advice services.
“Our teams work tirelessly and often creatively to deliver vital support that is tailored to each patient.
“It feels poetic that their work is recognised through Banksy’s amazing gift; a tremendously creative way to support healthcare organisations and charities across the UK.”
St Barnabas Hospice provide support and care for over 12,000 people each year, in Lincolnshire.
Wellbeing, Welfare, and Benefits Services at St Barnabas deliver vital elements of palliative and terminal illness support. They enable patients to live well with their illness, be supported with their prognosis and receive free, vital care for themselves and their families.
Mandy Irons, Head of Wellbeing Services at St Barnabas said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this grant.
“Since the grant was awarded, our welfare and benefits team have received more than 2000 referrals for specialist advice and support and have helped our patients and their families to apply for more than £4 million in financial support.
“The financial impact of a palliative disease is often under-estimated with patients struggling to pay bills, buy food and fund trips to hospital for treatment. Our wellbeing service relies on the generosity of our supporters, and grants like this, to help us provide essential specialist care and support.
“A huge thank you to Southampton Hospitals Charity and Banksy for recognising our service, and most importantly, changing the lives of our patients and their loved ones.”
To find out more about the services of St Barnabas Hospice, you can visit their website.
Game Changer, 2020
Oil on canvas
91×91 cm (35 7/8 x 35 7/8 inches)
Unique
Signed ‘BANKSY’ (lower right)
Christie’s London: 23 March 2021