Electric car donated to Sandwell Hospital to help make treatment less daunting for children
A hospital has received a special donation for its young patients.
The team at West Bromwich’s Utilita Energy Hub have gifted an electric ride-on car to Sandwell Hospital.
Little ones being treated on the hospital’s children’s ward will be able to ride in the car in dedicated breakout areas.
They can also be used to get to and from their treatment sessions.
Amanda Winwood, fundraising manager at Sandwell Hospital, said: “We have already seen the difference that driving cars to surgery makes for our young patients.
“I wanted to introduce a car for our older children so they could have the same experience in hospital.
“Having an operation can be daunting, especially if you are a child. So I thought this would help to distract them as they headed into surgery.
“I’m sure they will love driving in style in a Land Rover Defender.
“We really appreciate the support from Utilita and look forward to working with them on more projects in the coming months.”
Challenging
Ashley McIntosh, hub manager at the Utilita Energy Hub in West Bromwich, added: “It has been an extremely challenging 12 months for the NHS.
“We wanted to bring a smile on the faces of children being treated.
"The donation is merely a small gift from the business in supporting the amazing nurses and doctors for everything they have done.
“We will continue to help and support any local charities that need it.”
The Utilita Energy Hub in West Bromwich has been operating since April 2020.
However, the hub was only officially opened on August 3 after the first national lockdown ended.
Since then, the hub team has raised and donated £11,546 to local charities.
These include Options for Life, Salma Foodbank and West Bromwich Basketball Club. Utilita says it hopes to engage with new and existing customers to discuss their energy bills and how they can potentially save money, receive expert advice and look into switching providers.
