Charity

The Guild is a proud supporter of the Cavell charity in the UK and the Irish Hospice Foundation. Learn about our partnerships and fundraising for these important organisations below.

Our pledge to support nursing professionals

We know how important it is to support nursing professionals when they need it most. That’s why the Guild is a proud sponsor and supporter of Cavell. Cavell supports UK nurses, midwives, and healthcare assistants, working and retired, when they’re suffering personal or financial hardship. This is often due to illness, disability, older age, domestic abuse, debts and caring responsibilities.

Read more about their ‘Working with’ programme of which we are a founding member. We also fundraise for the organisation and make donations every year.

Cavell offers a tailored package of support to help every nurse who gets in touch. They give emotional support for those in crisis, advice on maximising benefits, signposting to specialist services, one-off grants to quickly relieve financial hardship, and rapid emergency funding for those at great risk.

The need for support

Nurses are the vital backbone of our healthcare system, doing difficult work under great pressure for the benefit of us all.

In 2024, in addition to providing emotional support, signposting, and benefits advice, the Cavell team provided financial grants to at least 932 members of the nursing and midwifery family. The reasons those supported came to Cavell included, but are not limited to, homelessness, mental health reasons, debt, and caring responsibilities.

In 2024, 60% of those supported by the Cavell Support Team were either nurses or midwives, while 40% were healthcare assistants or nursing associates. This continued high demand follows a 44% increase in 2023 in the number of nurses, midwives, and healthcare assistants seeking help. In 2022, the team had already experienced a 200% rise in those seeking support compared to the previous year.

The difference we make

Getting people back on their feet increases their emotional strength and overall well-being, helping them return to or stay in the career they love. And with a shortage of nurses in the UK, this is vital. The following quotes highlight the real-life impact of this support on those who have benefited.

“I wanted to say a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really don’t know what I would have done without the help, I think I’d probably be dead. Getting into an abusive relationship was a spiral out of control for me.  Since moving, I’ve managed to carpet the children’s rooms and buy them beds. I should be able to get a cooker and maybe even a carpet for my room.”  Midwife supported by Cavell in November 2023.

“I honestly would have been lost without your charity and a simple thanks doesn’t seem enough. I am eternally grateful for the funding; it allowed us to pay our bills to ensure I wasn’t rushing back to work.”  Nurse living with cancer, supported by Cavell in December 2023.

“I’m in tears here. All of a sudden, I don’t feel so alone, this really means the world to me. I’ve been having a tough time of it lately and nothing has been going right. I really can’t thank you enough for this.” Healthcare Assistant supported by Cavell in December 2023.

If you would like to make a donation to a nurse in need, visit our Just Giving page. #HereForNurses

The Irish Hospice Foundation is a national charity striving for best care at end of life for all. They believe that everyone should receive the care and support they need as they face dying, death, and bereavement.

They work in every county in Ireland and rely on voluntary fundraising to support and maintain this work.

The Nursing Guild’s nurses are often called upon to support individuals with end-of-life care, so we recognise how essential these services are. This is particularly the case for those who cannot access the right care perhaps due to costs or availability of nurses in their area.

Our fundraising is to support Nurses for Night Care

Our fundraising goes towards the Nurses for Night Care service for people dying with illnesses other than cancer. Nurses for Night Care enable people with diseases like dementia, motor neurone disease, advanced respiratory disease, heart failure, and end stage kidney disease to receive expert nursing care and support at night in their own homes in their final days.

It also provides reassurance and respite for families and loved ones caring for someone at home.

To follow our fundraising journey or make a donation, select ‘Donate now’.