Holidays for the NHS

Aim

NHS Heros are being subjected to prolonged trauma and stress, we can all help by providing an opportunity to a relaxing and healing holiday.

Doctors and nurses are putting their lives at risk for us all; without them many thousands more of us would die. They are doing this knowing that they are exposing themselves to great risk- we already have examples of young nurses with families and small children having been struck down, and of older doctors refusing not to work despite being in a ‘vulnerable’ group and paying the ultimate sacrifice. And there will be more deaths.

They are showing true courage, the very best of being British.

The Issue

NHS staff are experiencing prolonged trauma and stress in their workplace. There is great concern for their general well being.  

‘The Covid-19 pandemic and its aftermath will lead to a significantly increased need to provide mental and physical and professional career support to the incredible teams of nurses, doctors, anaesthetic practitioners and administrators. Sustainable successful delivery of care now and in the future, is dependent upon this’ 

    Director Anaesthesia, Royal Cornwall Hospital 

We should do what we can to support them, to show solidarity. Not only because we have a debt of gratitude but also because we have to help sustain the NHS going forward.

Our Solution

We can all help by providing them with a relaxing and stress releasing, healing holiday - as a huge thank you but also as a means of helping them recover from the trauma they have experienced. Everyone reacts to trauma differently, and will have different levels of resilience therefore the solution has to have a lot of options, catering for different people, as well as offering choice so they feel in control because during the onslaught of COVID19 they will not have felt in control. 

Common reactions to stress include a range of mental, emotional, physical and behavioural responses such as being in a state of high alert, feeling emotionally numb, becoming emotional and upset, feeling fatigued and tired. These reactions are normal and, in most cases, they subside as a part of the body’s natural healing and recovery process. We can all help these amazing people through this process

Suitable options to aid recovery include:

• Being able to relax- with spa treatments, on the beach, having a massage
• Being in nature- dolphin and whale watching, trekking through pine and laurel forests, fresh air, sunsets, mountains
• Day trips
• Exercise- maybe cycling and longer treks, scuba diving, snorkelling, horse riding, kayaking, surfing
• Healthy food to replenish immune systems and help with exhaustion
• Time with loved ones and family etc.
• Being able to talk through their experience with others.

Us

As a UK registered charity, the AWdF has been running the volunteer programme on the whale watching boats of Tenerife for some 30 years and many tens of thousands of young people from all over the world have enjoyed life changing experiences. Our knowledge of this beautiful island bathed in warm sunshine and with blue skies all through the year (The Elysian Fields, Paradise of the Ancients) is without equal, as is our network of eco-tourism and activity provider partners on the island.

Together with these partners we want to provide relaxing and therapeutic holidays for NHS nurses and doctors with whatever choice of accommodation, activities and relaxation pursuits they desire. We can organise this at very little cost but, with a little bit of help, we can make it absolutely FREE, including flights. Our knowledgeable and experienced volunteer teams will be honoured to meet and greet them at the airport and guide them through their experience, ensuring maximum hospitality, affection and respect. 

We are already making our volunteering programme free of charge to NHS front line staff and with this crowdfunding push we want to provide holidays free of charge to workers and their families. We can negotiate huge discounts with all our partners and no doubt the airlines will help us as well. But to make the holidays FREE we need funds to bridge the gap. 

Will you help us give back to our NHS heroes by helping to provide them with a much needed and possibly essential holiday!?

£300 will comfortably pay for a well deserved and possibly vital holiday tailor made for the individual needs of the nurses and doctors involved. Everything helps. the more you contribute, the more we can give back. The AWdF wants to provide 100 FREE holidays to NHS workers. With your help we can achieve this.  Every contribution helps, no matter how small, for further information or any questions please ask Ed at [email protected].

Rewards

ALL donations receive a Certificate of Thanks and one tree planted for every pound donated (to help offset the carbon footprint of the project). 

What your donation will buy

£10

• A traditional Canarian meal in a mountain tavern with folk singers and plenty of local wine for one NHS staff member

£20

• Whale watching trip with personal guide for one NHS staff member

OR

• An Activity; horse riding, surfing, kayaking, salsa dance lesson, scuba diving etc. for one NHS staff member

£50   

• Any three sporting activities from: Horse Riding, Surfing, Kayaking, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling

OR

• Any three life style activities: Yoga, Reiki, Mediation, Tai Chi, CBT, Vegan cooking lessons, Salsa dance lessons

OR

• Round the island excursion: Breakfast (croissant and coffee) in Candelaria- religious centre of the Canaries, pay respect to the Black Madonna; Market in Santa Cruz; Wine tasting at the wine museum in El Sauzal, Picnic in the pine forests; drive across Las Canadas with the magnificent volcano, el Teide, all in time for a glorious sunset over la Gomera with he day day finished off with an evening meal in a traditional mountain tavern.

£100

• Return flight for one NHS staff member

OR

• Children’s activity package to include a whale watching trip AND a dolphin boat trip, visit to the water park, Junior Cetacean Research course & certificate; treks in the pine forests with story telling sessions; learning to use DSLR cameras.

OR

• Accommodation for one week, per person: choice of rural cottage, modern apartment, boutique hotel.

£500   

• Wellness Retreat- Mind, Body, Soul - themed around the needs of participants, for one NHS staff member 

£1000   

• Full Programme sponsor. All sponsors to be listed on all our literature.

All the above are heavily discounted by our partners on the island. 

Please support us by either purchasing a reward, making a straight donation or by creating your own fundraiser page. Please also share our page with your friends and family to help  show your love for the NHS!

This project successfully funded on 19th June 2020