During the Lockdown due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, SERV Kent have continued to provide an emergency courier service to transport blood products, samples and other patient essential items to the major hospitals and hospices within Kent outside of normal working hours. It also maintains the blood supplies for the Air Ambulance Service in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, which undoubtedly saves many lives every year.
SERV Kent is run by volunteers who provide their services free of charge, including fuel for the vehicles and any phone charges incurred, thus saving the NHS thousands of pounds every year. In order to provide this free service, it relies heavily upon its own fundraising efforts and donations which sadly has not been possible during the prolonged Lockdown period. These fundraising efforts are an essential source of income that enable the charity to buy consumables such as PPE; vital equipment required in order to continue to run the service and maintain a safe environment for their volunteers.
In late April an application for an emergency grant of £5,126 was made to the Mark Benevolent Fund by the Mark Province of Kent to purchase PPE equipment on behalf of SERV Kent. That application was promptly approved thus allowing SERV Kent to secure enough PPE to continue to serve our community safely for the next three months. This is the second time the Mark Benevolent Fund has been able to assist SERV Kent. In 2019 they approved a grant for £27,046 which allowed them to purchase a new state of the art estate car to compliment the amazing charitable work it carries out within the Kent and Sussex region.
Needless to say, the brethren of Kent and our families are delighted to receive the continued support of the Mark Benevolent Fund in supporting such an important service for our community.