In this issue:
- Gifting 800 smiles
- New RITA devices spark conversations in the Stroke ward
- Baby scan multi-view system
- Protecting dialysis patients' lifelines
- Large Grants awarded Winter 2025
- Small Grant update: Winter 2025
- Micro Grants update: Winter 2025
- Community Art Gallery Update
- Our supporter and donation stories
- Message from our Charity Director
- Support us
Gifting 800 smiles
A hospital stay can be a daunting experience for many, and even more so when it means being away from home and loved ones at Christmas. We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who supported our 2025 Gift of a Smile Christmas appeal. You helped to bring joy and comfort to nearly 800 patients who were gifted presents on Christmas morning, all thanks to you.
Staff have shared the incredible difference these gifts make, with some patients having never received a festive gift before. Your donation this Christmas helped create moments of comfort and joy when they were needed most.
Whether you donated or helped spread the word about the Gift of a Smile appeal, we are incredibly grateful. Thank you for making a difference to so many patients at Christmas.
Winter wonderland at the Flourish Gardens
The now annual Winter Wonderland event was held again this year to the delight of staff and patients. This year encompassing 2 venues, events took place at the Flourish Gardens, Stratheden Hospital and Queen Margaret Hospital.
Staff planned a 4-day festive event from 15-18 December 2025 which has grown annually over the past 5 years and become a key event in the Stratheden site calendar for patients and staff. Three separate events were planned to incorporate a Christmas themed crafts afternoon, a Christmas movie cinema experience and the main winter wonderland event in the Flourish gardens with a range of activities on offer.
These events promote improved mental health and wellbeing for community and in-patients within adult and older adult mental health, and for all staff.
This was funded by Fife Health Charity by way of a micro grant totalling £685.
Family Nurse Partnership Christmas Party
The FNP put on a Christmas party event for their young clients and children at which each child received a book encouraging reading together.
Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) offer early help with a bespoke behaviour change programme offered to young parents age 20 and under and care experienced parents up to the age of 25. Fife Health Charity continues to support this fun annual event which is enjoyed by all and which aligns with our core funding aims of mitigating health inequalities through early intervention and prevention.
It's great for our infants to experience something new in a safe and welcoming environment.
Other ways your donations are making a difference here in Fife
New RITA devices help spark conversations in the Stroke ward
RITA devices are user-friendly interactive screens and tablets to blend entertainment with therapy.
Our grants programme | Update
Large Grants
£50,000 to support health screening across Fife
Fife Health Charity has supported NHS Fife Public Health team to continue its vital work in reducing health inequalities across Fife by supporting more people who wouldn’t usually take up screening to take part. Our grant will support their collaborative approach which will embed this initiative into mainstream services with ongoing support from the Public Health Screening Team.
Community Grants
£74,000 to support young people across Fife
The charity has awarded grants to 14 charities working with young people in communities across Fife to support their mental health and wellbeing.
Small Grants
£180,000 awarded since April
The charity is proud to have supported 44 different projects and initiatives which are helping to improve the lives of people and communities supported by NHS Fife.
Read more about Small Grants (£1,000 to £9,999)
Micro Grants
Micro Grants - £105,000 awarded since April
Between April and December we have awarded 343 Micro Grants which is an increase of 68% for the same period last year! They may be small in value but we know these can make a big difference.
Other ways your donations are making a difference here in Fife
There are many reasons why people decide to support Fife Health Charity. We are incredibly grateful for each and every donation we receive and are constantly inspired by the stories behind each gift.
Many of our donations come through monetary donations from the relatives of loved ones who’ve received outstanding care in hospital. We also benefit from donations from and the fundraising efforts of NHS staff who are well placed to see the difference made by the grants the charity awards and witness how these benefit patients and communities across Fife.
Siblings run to raise funds in grandad's memory
We’re incredibly grateful to Meagan and her brother, Brandon who recently raised an amazing £3,100 for Fife Health Charity in memory of their grandad, Frank.
Beloved grandad Frank was cared for by the hospice’s palliative care team during a short illness, and Meagan and Brandon wanted to raise money in his honour.
Meagan took on the Edinburgh Half Marathon and Brandon stepped into the ring for a charity boxing match. Their fantastic fundraising efforts won’t go unnoticed and will go directly towards supporting the hospice and helping other families in similar situations.
Meagan said: "He was a very special person who did all he could to help people, so being able to do this in his honour was important to me. It was made even more emotional when I found out I was pregnant not long before the race, so I ended up battling through the 13.1 miles whilst six weeks pregnant! I know he would have been cheering me on all the way. This opportunity to raise money for them and other families in our position was an honour."
Fife Health Charity are incredibly grateful to both Meagan and Brandon and all of our fundraisers who go the extra mile (even whilst pregnant) for the benefit of people and communities across Fife and the NHS Staff who support them. If you would like to raise money for the Fife Health Charity, see our fundraising page for ideas and inspiration.
Christmas Fair fundraising
A big thank you to Sean who held a stall in aid of Fife Health Charity at St Leonards School Christmas Fair. We would also like to thank everyone who donated wonderful items to his stall to sell on the day.
New exhibition
Charlie Marshall - Community Art Gallery
Scheduled for the beginning of February, we are delighted to unveil a new exhibition of paintings by talented local Dunfermline artist Charlie Marshall in our Community Art Gallery in the Queen Margaret Hospital.
Previously on show at Dunfermline’s Carnegie Library and Galleries, Fife Health Charity is delighted to host the paintings which depict familiar local landmarks, in rich oils, deep layers and vibrant colours, in the Community Gallery in Queen Margaret Hospital.
We really believe that Charlie’s paintings will brighten the day of patients, staff and families visiting Queen Margaret Hospital at the start of 2026. You’ll also have a chance to find out more about Charlie’s deeply personal reasons for holding an exhibition at the hospital, as it was an art class at Queen Margaret Hospital, which he’d turned to as a form of therapy, that reignited his early passion for art, eventually fully unlocking his remarkable talent.
Fundraising | Ordinary people doing extraordinary things
These are just a few donation stories from recent months of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for Fife Health Charity to benefit people across the Kingdom.
Perhaps you too could help us by organising a fundraising event in aid of Fife Health Charity? Don't have time to plan? Then maybe an organised event would work for you. Why not sign up for one of the running events taking place over the next few months?
Calling all fundraisers
We would love to support your fundraising in 2026!
Whether you’re a seasoned fundraiser or this is your first time, Alice our fundraising manager will support you all the way. Get in touch and let us know about your 2026 fundraising ideas. You can contact her at fife.healthcharity@nhs.scot
Events
The Kiltwalk
Put your best foot forward and take on the kiltwalk in aid of Fife Health Charity. Whether you fancy the Mighty Stride, a Big Stroll or even a Wee Wander, there is a distance to suit everyone.
- Glasgow: 25-26 April
- Aberdeen: 7 June
- Dundee: 16 August
- Edinburgh: 13 September
See more information here The Kiltwalk | Join us on a Kiltwalk
All walkers receive a free Fife Health Charity T-shirt to wear on the day.
Running Events
Whether you want a full on fitness challenge or simply want to help our charity, we’d love to hear from any runners who’d like to fundraise in aid of Fife Health Charity. Simply choose the event that best fits your location, fitness and preference. Contact Fife.healthcharity@nhs.scot and we’ll do the rest.
- Supernova Kelpies – 13-14 March 2026
- Scottish Half Marathon and 10K – 16 August 2026
- Supernova Forth Bridge – 7 Nov 2026
If you would like to discuss making a donation you can also contact us at fife.healthcharity@nhs.scot or simply donate by visiting our Justgiving page.
Supporting our supporters
Skydive
We’re keen to send positive thoughts to Elana Murray, a trainee mental health nurse who has decided to sky dive to raise funds for Fife Health Charity after experiencing a rare neurological disorder which meant her having to be in the care of the Sir George Sharp unit for rehabilitation.
The original skydive was set for October 2025 but couldn’t take place due to bad weather on the day.
However, Elana recently contacted Fife Health Charity to inform us that the skydive is back on and is rescheduled to take place on 1st February 2026.
We wish you all the best Elana!
Barcelona Marathon
We also wish to send a message of good luck to Alana who is running in the Barcelona Marathon on 15 March to fundraise for Fife Health Charity.
Good luck Alana!
I really hope you have enjoyed reading about the difference our grants are making across Fife. Together with our supporters we are helping to build a healthier and brighter future for the people and communities of Fife and the NHS Fife staff who support them.
It’s hard to believe that we are almost at the end of January already. 2026 has got off to a fast start indeed but before we look to the year ahead, I want to reflect on the end to 2025. I’m delighted that, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, almost 800 patients who were in hospital in Fife on Christmas received a present which brought smiles to wards across Fife. In the lead up to Christmas, we also provided almost £75,000 to 14 charities working with children and young people to support their mental health and wellbeing in their local communities.
Looking to what lies ahead for 2026, we are aiming to increase our grant-making and fund more projects and activities across the Kingdom. We are also going to be shining a light on the difference that your support is enabling. The stories that we hear and share in these newsletters and on our website really bring to life how together we can make a difference for you and your loved ones. Whether that’s supporting recovery from stroke or other acquired brain injury to helping young parents enjoy special moments with their babies, our charity is helping people at all ages and stages in their lives.
I want to thank everyone who supports and works with our charity, be that our wonderful donors, the staff of NHS Fife and the charities we fund, all of whom are bringing to life the projects and activities which are benefiting people and communities. Make sure you are following the charity on our social media channels to keep up-to-date with our latest news and stories along with finding out more on how you can support our work.
Whilst every year has it’s ‘ups and downs’ I’m really looking forward to sharing with you what difference we are making together throughout 2026.
Mark McGeachie, Charity Director
Support us | Money donated in Fife stays in Fife
Every donation to Fife Health Charity stays in Fife, helping us enhance lives across our communities. From funding vital equipment to supporting local health initiatives, the generosity of our wonderful supporters directly improves the wellbeing of those we care about most.
There are many ways that people can support our charity! You can donate directly with a one-off donation on our Justgiving page where you can also set up a monthly donation. You can also get involved by organising a fundraising event in aid of Fife Health Charity; or by taking part in an event, such as one of the organised local running events to raise funds; or nominating Fife Health Charity as ‘charity of the year’ in a local business. If you would like to discuss making a donation you can also contact us at fife.healthcharity@nhs.scot – we’d be delighted to hear from you!