The staff from the University Hospital Crosshouse’s wellbeing suite were presented with a generous donation from the organiser of TomFest21!, Tom Murray.

Tom Murray visited the suite to present the donation of £2,750 and meet with Julie Gordon, NHS Ayrshire and Arran Wellbeing Champion, as well as some of the staff making use of the facilities.

TomFest21! is an annual charity music event that draws bands from Ayrshire, Glasgow and the central belt of Scotland. Now in their fifth year of supporting local charities, TomFest21! held their latest event in Mauchline to a sold out crowd.

Tom Murray said: “TomFest21! is now in its fifth year raising funds for various charities from ticket sales and raffle prizes donated from the local community and businesses.

“This year, I am proud to support the staff wellbeing service at University Hospital Crosshouse. I wanted to give something back to the NHS staff after the trials of the last 20 months.

“I have friends who work at UHC and could see the pressures they were under dealing with the effects of Covid-19.

“So it was important that the money raised went directly to the staff wellbeing service at UHC to try in some way to help alleviate the pressures they face on a daily basis.”

NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s Staff Wellness Suite at University Hospitals Crosshouse aims to support staff by giving them a space to recuperate and relax away from clinical settings.

Dr Julie Gordon is a Consultant in Emergency Medicine, as well as NHS Ayrshire and Arran Wellbeing Champion.

She said:“We are extremely grateful to Tom and all the bands who took part in TomFest21!

“We know that professionally and personally this is an extremely challenging time for many of our staff and the money they have raised will go to helping make the wellbeing suite a safe space for all staff to access.

“The wellbeing suite supports staff 24/7, in their emotional and physical wellbeing.

“Staff are able to speak with a psychologist to discuss their wellbeing and clinical staff can access medical peer support.

“The Wellness Suite is open to all NHS Ayrshire and Arran staff.”