The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation has launched a new fundraising campaign in partnership with the Aviva Community Fund, in a bid to raise money for a new Leg Club. There are currently 44 Leg Clubs operating throughout the UK, combining almost 12,000 active members. By the end of 2020, the foundation hopes to have 50 clubs established.
The money raised through Aviva will go towards opening a Leg Club in the north of England, where the charity is looking to build its presence. The cost of setting up a new Leg Club and supporting clinicians for the first year is around £12,000. A large portion of this is the equipment required to treat lower limb conditions, such as Doppler machines, as well as laptops to record patient data, which totals around £5,000. This is what the money raised through the Aviva Community Fund will be used for.
The Aviva Community Fund has been running for four years and gives Aviva employees the opportunity to donate to community projects and charities that matter to them. Aviva gives £250,000 every three months, which is split equally amongst its employees. The company recently partnered with Crowdfunder to give organisations the chance to further build their capabilities, drive sustainable fundraising, and get ideas off the ground.
The closing date for fundraising through Aviva employees will be April 15, but the donation page will remain open to the general public.
Leg Clubs provide community-based treatment, health promotion, education, and ongoing care to people of all ages who are experiencing problems of the lower limb. They are based on Ellie Lindsay OBE’s award-winning Leg Club model of care, which encourages patients,known as members, to take an active interest in their treatment.
With the help of volunteers, Leg Clubs provide a friendly, welcoming atmosphere where members can share experiences, offer peer support, and have fun and enjoy refreshments together.
For many people, a visit to a Leg Club is their one outing of the week, and helping to reduce the social isolation often associated with leg ulcers and providing emotional support which is beneficial to the healing process.
Ellie Lindsay, lifetime president of The Lindsay Leg Club Foundation, said: “The launch of this campaign is an exciting step for the foundation towards expanding our presence in England. There is currently huge demand for our services in the north and we hope Aviva employees and the public will connect with and support our cause.”
