Pennies from Heaven (now known as Microhive) was launched at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) in 2021 to raise funds for the official charity, King George and Queen’s Hospitals Charity. The head of the charity learned about the initiative during an NHS Charities Together webinar, where its positive impact across the NHS was discussed. Some team members at the charity had previously participated in the scheme while working in other NHS positions.
The charity found the setup of the scheme easy and straightforward. With Pennies from Heaven (now trading as Microhive) active in 120 NHS organisations, the implementation and payroll guides provided by Pennies from Heaven facilitated a smooth setup process. Sharing best practices from other NHS organisations instilled confidence in the Trust, assuring them that the process was straightforward and that the scheme would be a success.
The charity found the setup of the scheme easy and straightforward. With Pennies from Heaven (now trading as Microhive) active in 120 NHS organisations, the implementation and payroll guides provided by Pennies from Heaven facilitated a smooth setup process. Sharing best practices from other NHS organisations instilled confidence in the Trust, assuring them that the process was straightforward and that the scheme would be a success.
Employee sign up:
The charity chose to utilise the Pennies from Heaven website for online sign-ups, eliminating the need for internal forms. This decision has helped the sign-up process for staff, leading to positive feedback. Staff members can easily access the online sign-up page by following a digital link or scanning a QR code, where they only need to enter their name and NHS assignment number.
Staff have the opportunity to learn about Pennies from Heaven through various communication channels. Updates are shared on Workplace, an app where staff can access a wide range of Trust-related information. Staff are encouraged to join Pennies from Heaven by the Trust charity team during events or when they set up stalls. When interacting with staff in person, the charity team use their own paper forms to collect quick and easy sign-ups.
New joiners:
New joiners have been the key to continually growing participation in the scheme. New staff at BHRUT are given information about the scheme and a short sign-up form during their inductions. This form is then passed to the payroll team to initiate the deduction process.
ESR Portal:
The Trust has also used the ESR portal to inform staff about the scheme. When logging on to the portal, employees see a digital advert for Pennies from Heaven. A simple click on the advert takes the employee to the Pennies from Heaven website (new tab) where they can learn more about the scheme and sign up. This method has proven to be an effective way for the Trust to increase awareness of the scheme among employees and inspire more support for the hospital’s charity.
“Pennies from Heaven has proven to be a valuable addition to our charity, providing an additional source of general income. The scheme has been simple to implement across our Trust, and once our staff members are informed about it, they are usually eager to sign up. We are delighted with the increasing number of sign ups and highly recommend other charities to join the scheme as well. This initiative enables us to connect more with our staff and helps open a conversation about the improvements we are making in our hospitals.” King George & Queen’s Hospitals Charity
