Coronavirus: Nurse raises money to buy patients toiletries

Michelle Carless raised the money to buy toiletries for patients in Wolverhampton

A nurse has raised £1,000 to buy patients toiletries they would otherwise be without during the coronavirus outbreak.

Michelle Carless, 44, works on the trauma and orthopaedic ward at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.

As patients cannot have visitors she was worried they would not have access to toiletries.

A Facebook post led to a GoFundMe page being set up, raising £500.

The Royal British Legion then doubled the amount and Ms Carless, from Willenhall, said people were leaving donations at her front door.

"It started off as just donations that anyone could get hold off, then I contacted the mums on my son's football team, to see if they could contact the supermarkets for donations.

"I put it on Facebook and one of the mums started a GoFundMe page, and it raised £500.

Michelle Carless said her garage was full of donations

"It's amazing how the community has all come together, I'm grateful for all they're doing for NHS staff, but I felt like I needed to give a bit back to our patients."

She said normally anyone admitted to the ward would have toiletries brought to them by relatives, shower gels to wash themselves with, toothpaste, shaving foam and roll-on deodorants but the NHS resources are "limited".

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"It's just nice to cheer them up a bit... and have a few home comforts.

"That's someone's mum and dad, I just wanted to give them the best care we can... and thank everyone for donating in these dark times."

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