Friends of Giffords Surgery is a volunteer-run charity made up entirely of patients from Giffords Surgery. The charity was formed in April 2024 by members of the surgery’s Patient Participation Group (PPG), which acts as a critical friend to the practice.

Through their work with the PPG, the founding members recognised that there were things patients and the community could do to help improve comfort, wellbeing, and access to information — areas that the NHS cannot usually fund. In response, they set up Friends of Giffords Surgery to work alongside the practice team, raise funds for those extra items and activities, and develop community projects that support patients’ health and wellbeing. Friends of Giffords Surgery is independent from the surgery, but we work in close partnership with the practice team to support shared goals.

This independence allows us to raise funds, apply for grants, and deliver projects that complement NHS care while remaining community-led and patient-focused. Our charity does not replace NHS services but enhances them by funding the extras that make a real difference to patients’ experience and wellbeing.

Our first initiative, Community@Christmas, launched later that year and brought patients, staff, and volunteers together for the first time. The positive response confirmed there was both need and enthusiasm for an organisation dedicated to this work.

We have produced a regular newsletter which goes out from the surgery to Patients. We continue to work in partnership with the surgery to identify where we can make the most difference. That might mean funding equipment the NHS cannot usually pay for, supporting wellbeing workshops, or helping patients find local services that make life a little easier. Our work is built on the values of collaboration, empowerment, and prevention. We believe that when people feel informed, supported, and connected, they can take a more active role in their own health and wellbeing.