Small grants, lasting impacts
Small Grants have a value between £1,000 and £9,999. For the period April – August 2025, we approved 24 small grants totalling £118,369.
Funding by target area
Ringing the changes in Tarvit Ward
Listening to music in hospital is beneficial to patients. It can reduce stress, ease pain and help lessen anxiety, promoting relaxation whilst supporting communication and emotional expression.
Music in Hospitals & Care is a charity that improves the health and wellbeing of children and adults through the healing power of music.
This charity’s values chime very much with our own, so that Fife Health Charity was only too happy to support these worthwhile sessions. Held at Tarvit Ward at Adamson Hospital in Cupar these monthly sessions provided were enjoyed by both patients and staff.
The performers and all of the acts brought lots of energy, enthusiasm and talent to our Day Room. Patients were hugely grateful for the chance to hear live music and the performers were interactive and engaging.
It's wonderful having live music on the ward and the sound carrying up the corridors. It noticeably reduces anxiety in patients who may be having a hard time or in pain. It's lovely to see patients socialise with each other and join in with the well-known songs. It brings such a boost to the day on the ward and something which is talked about for days to come.
Training and development grant brings first class results for patients and staff
Increasing staff knowledge and skills to benefit patients is one the charity’s priorities for funding and when Palliative Care Occupational Therapist (OT) Carla White approached the charity seeking funding to complete further training we were delighted to support her. Carla has completed an MSc module in palliative care – Building Therapeutic Relationships with patients in palliative care. Effective person-centred end-of-life care requires colleagues from a range of specialties to work together to manage the complex medical, emotional and social needs of patients and their families. Through her training and study, it has been possible to further enhance the service provided by the specialist team to patients, families and carers as well as benefiting the wider palliative care team.
Carla, who earned an A pass, has shared her learning and reflections on the use of advanced communication skills and person-centred intervention approaches with the palliative OT team and wider colleagues providing end-of-life care and support for patients and their families.
She has shared learning resources and knowledge; her understanding of individual patient stories; effective ways of delivering national clinical guidelines as a multi-disciplinary team; the value of alternative ways of managing symptoms; and supporting complex emotional and social needs of patients and their families.
This is a great example of how patients will benefit through Fife Health Charity's support and Carla’s commitment to sharing her learning with colleagues.
Dynamic physiotherapy technology aids stroke patients recovery
Washing and eating are daily activities that most of us take for granted. People who have experienced a stroke, however, may develop weakness of the muscles in the upper limb. Suddenly without warning, these simple activities are impossible due to the effect of gravity causing their arms to feel heavy.
Help with this issue is available and for in-patients, rehabilitating from a stroke at Cameron Hospital this came in the form of a donation from Fife Health Charity. A small grant was used to purchase a new device called the SaeboMas.
With SaeboMas, a dynamic mobile arm support system, it is possible to eliminate the effects of gravity. Using this support, patients are able to activate the muscles of the upper limb more readily and complete a higher number of repetitions of exercises that help their recovery. This supports better alignment the shoulder joint, which reduces pain and discomfort. Staff working with patients report that, for some, a few sessions using the SaeboMas system can make a huge difference and help people to carry on with these exercises independently and recover the ability to complete more activities of daily living quicker than before.
It is rewarding to see families’ amazement when they see movement in an affected limb.
Further examples of small grants:-
- Staff awards ceremony – September 2025
- Patient recliner chairs – Hospice
- Ultrasound probe – Renal dialysis
- LED ceiling panels – Gynaecology Unit, Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
- Equipment for patient waiting area, Ward 54, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy for direct admissions to ward
- MOTOMED – Letham Ward – to aid and support upper body movement
- RITA devices – Ward 7, Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
- Viewing system – Fetal medicine
- Hospice garden upkeep
- Specialist outdoor seating for patients in Mayfield Ward
- Mental health first aid training – supporting members of the Armed Forces Community
