Once again this year, all staff at Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust will receive a day to spend in any way they like. The ‘Gift of Time’ is being given as a gesture of appreciation for their continued extraordinary efforts over the last year.

The Gift of Time is a small way that the organisation is prioritising the wellbeing of staff as the NHS strives to give great care for patients in the city through the continuing difficulties of the pandemic.

Wendy Swann, Research Manager, spent her day heading north to the not so sun-soaked but beautiful climes of Aberdeenshire.

Wendy said: “Scotland never disappoints, and I was looking forward to catching up with my daughter and having a ‘beach holiday.’

“OK, so it wasn’t quite bikini weather but armed with factor 30 and wetsuits I treated us to a stand-up paddleboarding lesson at Stonehaven.

“We encountered sea stacks, caves and iconic seabirds including the elusive and camera-shy puffin.

“All that exploring made us hungry, so a fish supper was an excellent way to end the day!”

Teams have worked relentlessly to maintain mental health and social care services in Sheffield. From community teams to ward staff to supporting services, all the teams have risen to every challenge COVID-19 brought. At the same time the Trust has been busy making the care it provides better for its service users.

Read some stories of how our staff members spent their Gift of Time days last year here.