Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust

The Florence Nightingale Aid in Sickness Trust, established in 1975 from the residual assets of the Florence Nightingale Hospital (founded 1910 with roots in Nightingale's 1853 superintendency), is a UK charity dedicated to relieving hardship from severe sickness, disability, poor health, or old age. Its core mission is to enable independent living and enhance quality of life through grants for medical and household aids unavailable via public or other funds, embodying Nightingale's legacy of compassion, dignity, and practical support. With Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother as inaugural patron, it prioritizes life-enhancing equipment for those at the intersection of health challenges and poverty.

The Trust funds capital items like specialist beds, wheelchairs, hoists, communication devices, sensory equipment, adaptive appliances, and therapeutic tools, plus short-term respite or convalescent breaks in accredited care homes. Beneficiaries are UK residents of all ages—children with spinal muscular atrophy, adults with neuromuscular diseases, elderly with arthritis, or those with cerebral palsy, cancer, neurological conditions, or mental health challenges—whose home independence is severely compromised.

Grants are awarded only via professional referrals from health/social care staff, occupational therapists, social workers, Citizens Advice, or welfare charity workers; no unsolicited or self-applications. UK-wide with no geographic, income, or entity restrictions, it supports individuals through caseworkers, not organizations directly. Typical grants range £200–£2,500 (mostly £300–£1,500), decided adhoc at trustee meetings every 6–10 weeks on rolling applications submitted by email or post with full forms, medical evidence, and proof of exhausted alternatives; expect 1–3 month turnaround.

Distinctively, it rejects holidays, maintenance, revenue costs, core funding, or institutional projects, focusing solely on targeted, transformative capital aid via vetted professionals to fill gaps in statutory support and uphold personal dignity.