Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund and Other Related Charities

Brighter Futures, the working name for the Great Western Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Charitable Fund and related charities, is the official NHS charity supporting Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and its integrated services across Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset, Hampshire, Dorset, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, and Gloucestershire, serving over 1.3 million people. Its core mission is to bridge gaps in NHS provision by funding enhancements to patient care, staff excellence, and community health, including state-of-the-art equipment, facility improvements, research, and professional development. Guided by principles of partnership, stewardship, and responsive local engagement, it prioritises tangible, evidence-based impacts beyond statutory budgets, evolving with the Trust's expansion into acute and community care.

The fund supports capital projects like advanced diagnostics (e.g., mobile X-ray systems, neonatal incubators, Fibroscan), cancer radiotherapy expansions, emergency and paediatric innovations, staff welfare, education grants, and linked medical research. Beneficiaries include patients (especially children, newborns, cancer, and emergency cases), families, and hospital staff, with funding directed to hospital sites and partnerships like Wiltshire Health & Care LLP for measurable improvements in environments, diagnostics, and care quality.

Unsolicited applications are not accepted; external charities or organisations must contact the Brighter Futures team by phone or email first to discuss ad hoc partnerships or co-funding, as decisions are made by the Charitable Funds Committee throughout the year with no fixed deadlines. There are no specified eligible entities, income rules, or grant ranges for externals, though internal projects typically receive £10,000–£25,000, scaling to £400,000+ for major appeals; preference for medium/large aligned foundations. It excludes core NHS costs, general operations, or unrestricted external grants, distinguishing itself through deep NHS integration, strict additionality to public funding, and focus on strategic, localised healthcare innovation.