REDDITCH charity Cavell Nurses’ Trust has launched a special scheme to help make sure struggling nurses are kept safe and warm this winter.

The charity, which supports nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants and students experiencing financial or personal hardship, has launched its Safe and Warm campaign encouraging people to think about UK nurses who are living with fuel poverty.

Recent research shows 65 per cent of low income UK working families are struggling to pay their energy costs and the trust says it is doing something about it.

On average, it costs £3 per day to heat a medium sized home in the UK and the charity’s campaign is highlighting the plight of those nurses struggling by asking people to donate at least £3.

John Orchard, chief executive of Cavell Nurses’ Trust, said: “With around 30 per cent of our grants going towards nurses’ heating costs, there is a definite need to help nurses out of fuel poverty. We think the Safe and Warm campaign has a simple message and really hope we can make more nurses safe and warm this winter.”

In the last year, the charity has helped more than 1,300 nurses and one third of the grants given have either paid for repairs to faulty heating systems or contributed towards heating the homes of nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants.

Anyone interested in donating £3 can text WARM to 70700 or visit cavellnursestrust.org.