Grants were received from NHS Charities Together and the Talbot Village Trust, which provided £25,000.

Other donations included, Maverick Race, a Bournemouth based trail-running events organiser, who contributed £7,060 from the sale of specially designed t-shirts and Elliott Brown Watches, a Poole- based watch manufacturer, who donated £4,290.

In addition, community groups and individual fundraisers have also been a vital source of support with Yarrells School and Nursery holding a ‘camp out’ raising £1,223. A garden marathon, held in place of the annual Poole Festival of Running, raised £13,425, which is split between the Poole Hospital Heroes Fund and the hospital’s cancer services team.

So far the charity has committed to spending £65,000, which has been used to support staff with safe spaces to rest and reflect; food and hydration, and the establishment of staff support helplines and counselling services. It has also been used to help patients, particularly those recovering from Covid-19.

Commenting on the staff rest areas, Elena Fearn, foundation year two paediatrics doctor, said, “Three safe spaces were created to provide staff with an escape from their day-to-day working life.

“Having a comfortable space to relax has really brought people together with staff truly appreciating the hospital and local businesses contributing these spaces.

“A midwife who has been in the hospital for 30 years told me this was the nicest thing anyone had done for staff and was very emotional about it.”

The fund has also been used to fund delirium activity boxes to aid post-Covid-19 patient rehabilitation.

Looking ahead, the charity is working to ensure that a lasting legacy remains from the donations which will be used to continue to support patient wellbeing and look after the psychological, physical and mental wellbeing of staff.

This includes £5,000 of funding for department leaders to attend the Florence Nightingale Foundation’s NHS Leadership Support Service.

Sara Fripp, Poole Hospital Charity fundraising manager, said, “Without the generosity and support of our fundraisers and local organisations none of this would have been possible.”