Pets As Therapy has been awarded a £10,000 Nationwide Colleague Grant, thanks to PAT Volunteer Tracy McAvoy who works at the building society.

The Nationwide programme lets employees apply for grants to support UK charities where they actively volunteer or fundraise. And as Tracy regularly visits Surrey's Royal Marsden Hospital with her PAT Dog Jess, she decided to nominate Pets As Therapy – a charity close to her heart.

"I’m relatively new to Nationwide, but it’s an organisation in which volunteering and community involvement are actively encouraged," Tracy smiles. "The grant application was a chance to explain the great work PAT does and how additional funding could help get more volunteers in place more quickly."

Tracy and Jess have been a PAT Team for four years. "It's our anniversary this week! We’ve been involved with the Royal Marsden since PAT visits were first introduced there, so we’ve had the privilege of seeing how the programme has evolved and the impact it now has throughout the hospital at both the Sutton and Chelsea sites."

Tracy admits that seeing the difference a pet can make to someone's day, even if it's just for a few minutes, is incredible. "In stressful situations a PAT visit can bring real comfort – whether it’s with a moment of distraction or normality or an extended snuggle."

Pets As Therapy is thrilled to have been awarded this Nationwide Colleague Grant and plans to use the money to support volunteers in healthcare and hospital settings.

"I’ve seen first-hand how much work goes into introducing PAT into new healthcare environments and how long that can sometimes take, particularly where there are understandable concerns around infection control, privacy and safeguarding," Tracy adds. "This funding will help get more volunteer teams in place more quickly, not just for patients but for their families, friends and the amazing staff who care for them. That’s something I’m really excited about.

"A huge thank you to Nationwide for supporting PAT and to the Royal Marsden for being such a strong supporter of PAT team visits. Jess and I are just one small part of a much bigger team of volunteers, and it’s great to know this funding will help create even more moments of comfort and joy for people who need them."