Edith Cavell Fund for Nurses

The Edith Cavell Fund for Nurses, known as Cavell, is a UK charity established in 1917 to honor the legacy of British nurse Edith Cavell, providing compassionate, person-centred support to nurses, midwives, nursing associates, healthcare assistants, and maternity support workers facing personal and financial hardship. Rooted in values of dignity, resilience, and solidarity, it offers holistic aid—including financial grants, benefits advice, emotional support, and signposting—to safeguard the wellbeing of these frontline professionals, recognizing their role in strengthening healthcare delivery. In 2024, it distributed £790,000 to nearly 1,700 individuals UK-wide, with 40% being healthcare assistants.

Cavell prioritizes acute crises like poverty (inability to afford food, utilities, or housing), health challenges (mental ill-health, disability), domestic abuse, rising living costs, and work-related stress. It funds urgent hardship grants for essential living costs, white goods, mobility aids, minor home adaptations, rent deposits, and debt relief order fees, emphasizing rapid, stigma-free intervention for both current and retired professionals at all career stages.

Eligible applicants are UK-based individuals in specified roles, requiring proof of employment/registration, recent bank statements, and item quotes; no organizational or income restrictions apply. Applications via online form (20-30 minutes) or post are accepted rolling, with support team contact within two days and swift decisions for emergencies.

Grants typically range £200-£1,000, scalable for acute needs. Exclusions include existing debts, holidays, private medical/education fees, legal/immigration costs, vehicles, and organizational projects. Distinctively, as the largest specialist funder, Cavell uses modern Salesforce systems for efficient, outcome-focused aid, offering help to all contacts and repeat support where justified, scaling rapidly during national crises.