Staff at the Royal Preston Hospital have new a designer wardrobe worth thousands of pounds to kit out patients but it hasn’t cost them a penny thanks to a local online fashion retailer.
Claughton-on-Brock based B Couture London, which sells its own branded street and leisure wear – tracksuits, hoodies, leggings, fleeces, jeans, jackets and coats among other items – has gifted racks of men’s, women’s and children’s clothes in all sizes to the team working in the hospital’s Discharge Lounge.
Team members often receive requests from colleagues working in A&E and on medical and surgery wards to provide new clothes for patients either in hospital or about to be sent home and had been running up a monthly clothing bill of hundreds of pounds.
Lucy Clark, a fundraiser with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity, explained: “Not everyone coming into hospital has someone to bring them a change of clothes if one is needed.
“It’s not uncommon for a patient to be brought into hospital at night in nightwear and then to need day clothes to go home in. Other patients may be in clothes that are bloodied, soiled or torn so have an immediate need for something to wear that’s clean and fresh while in hospital as well as for going home.”
Lucy continued: “The team working in discharge was concerned about the increasing cost of providing patients with clean and warm clothes but felt, along with their colleagues across all the hospital’s departments and wards, it was something they didn’t want to stop doing. They asked us for support and B Couture London was suggested as a company that may be able to help. We were delighted when they said yes and have been blown away by their generosity.”
Nursing sister Naomi Tate, who is in charge of the Discharge Lounge, said: “We were spending a lot of money on tracksuits but the clothes Lucy has kindly been given has stocked us up so that money can now be spent elsewhere. It’s cost saving without compromising what we give to our patients. We are all so passionate about giving that little bit extra to our patients to improve their experience. We are very grateful to Lucy, the charity team and all at B Couture London.”
Gemma Ibbitson, Director of B Couture London, said: “Compassion is always in fashion here at B Couture. Giving back is part of who we are and we’re very proud to donate clothing to our local hospital charity.”