Over the past financial year, Frimley Health Charity has supported eight key projects, totalling over £70,000. All are aligned with accreditation recommendations to improve patient care and the overall hospital experience.

These projects were not merely aesthetic improvements but essential interventions that contributed significantly to patient well-being, staff efficiency, and emotional support within acute care environments.

One particularly impactful initiative was transforming a disused clinical space into the Sunshine Room at the King Edward VII Hospital in Windsor. Previously unfit for purpose, this room was repurposed into a counselling/quiet room, in partnership with the Frimley Excellence Programme and our Frimley Health Charity lottery funding, which focuses on improving patient flow and reducing waiting times.

Patients entering this part of the hospital are often facing some of the most challenging moments of their lives, primarily awaiting diagnoses or treatment plans for cancer. During these appointments, deeply upsetting news may be delivered, and consultants frequently must spend additional time ensuring patients feel emotionally stable before leaving the consultation room. This impacts the patient’s emotional well-being and affects how quickly other patients can be seen. The Sunshine Room provides a non-clinical, comforting environment where patients can retreat to process information, gather themselves emotionally, and—most importantly—feel safe.

Grateful patients report feeling less anxious, more grounded, and better able to absorb complex information, which is crucial for making informed decisions and returning safely home afterwards.

Beyond the Sunshine Room, Frimley Health Charity has supported other projects, including:

1. Physiotherapy Paediatric Rooms: Designed to be more engaging and less intimidating for young patients.
2. A&E Paediatric Toys: Providing comfort and distraction during often frightening emergency visits.
3. Mortuary Renovation at Frimley Health Hospital: Creating a gentler, more dignified space for families to say goodbye to loved ones.
4. Children’s surgical ward: Renovations adhering to the accreditation recommendations from the ‘Surgery in Children’ THAMES VALLEY & WESSEX OPERATIONAL DELIVERY NETWORK

These projects reflect a shared commitment to improving the healthcare environment for physical treatment and emotional resilience, family support, and overall experience. These are not just rooms or decorations but intentional spaces of care.