On Gift Aid Awareness Day, CFG member Carol Corney-Brotherston, Head of Finance at RNOH Charity, talks about the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) Trust's incredible work and why Gift Aid is vital to its patients.
Hello Carol! Please could you tell us about you, your role and the charity?
RNOH Charity is dedicated to supporting the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) Trust, a world-renowned centre of excellence for neuro-musculoskeletal (MSK) care. Our Trust was recently ranked the second-highest acute/specialist NHS provider in England.
RNOH Charity helps ensure patients receive this high-quality care, from providing state-of-the-art equipment to enhancing the hospital environment and improving the staff experience to help create the best outcome for every adult and child facing complex and life-changing conditions. I've worked in the charity sector for 24 years, with 16 of those years in NHS hospital charities.
What are your charity’s main sources of income and how is it spent?
Most of RNOH Charity’s income is from our donors and fundraising supporters: largely grateful patients and their families, and grant-making Trusts and Foundations. The Charity’s objective is to strengthen and support the people, research and infrastructure that make the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital a leading centre for orthopaedic health.
As a grant-making charity, we supplement NHS resources to enable investment in specialist equipment and pioneering research. Another important part of our mission is to help the hospital as it endeavours to provide a working environment that raises staff morale and aids the retention of the hospital’s talented and committed workforce, thereby improving the patient experience.
A supporter of RNOH Charity.
How important is Gift Aid to these aims?
Gift Aid has always been an important source of income to charities and RNOH Charity is no different. As financial pressure continues post pandemic and in a cost-of-living crisis, it is even more important that donors understand the importance of ticking the Gift Aid box. Effectively, that simple action boosts the power of a donation by 25%, which is substantial for all charities large and small.
What has Gift Aid income allowed you to do? How does it have an impact?
Gift Aid is a multi-faceted income stream for RNOH Charity. When unrestricted, it plays an important role in supporting the general operations of the charity, which is a crucial enabler, and allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of the hospital.
When restricted, it contributes to various specific projects supported within the hospital. One recent example is the purchase of a specialised patient vehicle for the Spinal Cord Injury Centre, chiefly funded by a friend of the Charity and his Gift Aid. As a result, this project reached its fundraising target in four weeks.
The Lyra Gait Trainer, funded by RNOH Charity.
What other campaigns will Gift Aid play an important role in?
This year, we are fundraising to bring one of the most advanced devices in robot-assisted surgery to hundreds of patients that RNOH treats each year. It’s called the Mako 4.0 and will allow our surgeons to carry out faster, more precise operations with reduced recovery times for people requiring life-changing joint surgery and replacement.
Having this equipment at RNOH will also offer NHS patients access to the kind of world-class technology that is usually only found in private hospitals, giving hope of a better outcome to more people facing some of the most complex surgical challenges. This support will fuel innovation too, helping clinicians pioneer new techniques and keeping RNOH at the forefront of surgical excellence.
The hospital cannot fund this advanced equipment within the confines of an NHS budget so charitable support is the only way to bring the latest robot to as many patients as possible. We hope that with this important project, we can make sure everyone, regardless of their means, benefits from the very best care.
Robot-assisted knee surgery at the RNOH Trust.
What’s your message to your eligible donors and other supporters?
If you are eligible for Gift Aid, please do tick that box. That additional 25% makes all the difference, allowing charities to navigate challenging times and continue to make an impact in local communities and the wider world. It takes a minute or two to read and complete the Gift Aid declaration – time well spent.
And what would you say to a charity that isn’t claiming Gift Aid but could?
We really would recommend taking the time to set up your charity to claim Gift Aid. The process is straightforward and the benefit of a 25% boost on individual donor income is clear.
The difference that Gift Aid makes means so much to RNOH Charity. We are a small organisation supporting a national hospital with ambitious projects that will benefit a great many people – so every penny counts.
One in three of us is affected by a neuro-musculoskeletal condition: from osteoarthritis to back, neck and shoulder pain, and devastating illness or injury.
Shockingly, the latest data show that 34% of us live with chronic pain in the UK and someone becomes paralysed every two hours. This is why we need to raise funds to support the truly life-saving treatment that takes place at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. We are grateful recipients of Gift Aid and hope others will benefit too.
How does CFG and our campaigns support you and the people you serve?
The CFG community has always been a helpful resource and I can’t really remember a pre-CFG time. Gift Aid Awareness Day is another useful tool for charities and hopefully the spotlight on Gift Aid and its impact will continue to shine bright.
Thank you for talking with us, Carol! We wish you all at the charity and Trust all the very best for the future!
For more Gift Aid resources, visit our Gift Aid resource hub