Sussex Freemasons donation will help patients in hospitals and hospices stay in touch with their loved ones

Sussex Freemasons, with support from the Masonic Charitable Foundation, are supplying 50 Samsung Galaxy Android Tablets to acute hospitals and hospices within East and West Sussex.
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The Samsung Tablets will enable bed-dependent hospital patients receiving treatment for COVID-19 to stay in touch with their families.

The initiative is part of a wider drive which will see over a thousand of the Tablets being donated by Freemasons across England and Wales to more than 50 hospitals, care homes and hospices.

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During the current crisis, NHS hospitals have been forced to limit visits to patients in an attempt to control infections. Some of those suffering from the virus can be in intensive care for two to three weeks or more, with one-to-one visits only being allowed for dying patients.

Masons support Sussex hospices SUS-200522-114923001Masons support Sussex hospices SUS-200522-114923001
Masons support Sussex hospices SUS-200522-114923001

This has led hospitals to try to find a way to help patients communicate with their families during this difficult time. Freemasons have risen to the challenge and gifted over a thousand devices to help patients see and hear their loved ones and provide much-needed comfort.

This week saw Assistant Head of Sussex Freemasons Geoffrey Cornwell, deliver five of the Tablets to the St Peter and St James Hospice in Chailey, East Sussex.

Barbara Williams, Chief Executive of the Hospice said: “We’ve been working really hard to keep families and friends in touch despite the current restrictions. It’s particularly tough when someone is dying because there are often things that need to be said.

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“This lovely donation of 5 Samsung Galaxy tablets will enable people to have a means of seeing each other and talking together, albeit remotely, for as long as they want and whenever they want. That’s a very precious gift at this time.”

Geoffrey Cornwell, presenting the Tablets, said: “It’s wonderful that Sussex Freemasons are able to help the patients in this wonderful hospice. The ability to stay in touch with family means so much and brings such comfort”

Pictured is Geoffrey Cornwell presenting one of the 5 Samsung Galaxy Android Tablets to (left to right) Anne Jackson, Director of Care, St Peter and St James Hospice, Geoffrey Cornwell, Assistant Head of Sussex Freemasons and Barbara Williams, Chief Executive St Peter and St James Hospice.