NHS Borders Health Charity is here!

Our new name and identity is here! We have known for some time that we needed to make it clearer who we are and what we do and the first step in that journey for us was to change our name and identity so that our supporters were in no doubt that we are the official charity of NHS Borders.

We are excited to not only reveal our new brand but to re-launch the charity with the intent to be more visible around our sites, be more proactive in our fundraising and more transparent in our communications about the work the charity does and how your donations are helping our patients, our staff and our communities.

Please bear with us as we transfer all our materials over to the new name over the coming weeks.

If you would like more information we have included some FAQs below.

• Are you a new charity?

  No, Borders Health Board Endowment Funds has existed for over 50 years, we went under ‘The Difference’ name and brand have been used for the past 15 years.  The name and brand were created to be the public face of the charity and an identity for fundraising appeals.

  The Difference has been very successful in this capacity as it has been behind appeals for the Dialysis Unit, the  Labour Ward Birthing Pool, Margaret Kerr Unit and Macmillan Cancer Centre Expansion which all surpassed their fundraising targets.

• So why are you changing it?

  Even though these appeals were very successful, supporters may not necessarily have been aware of The Difference as being the charity behind them.

  Even though we receive donations every day for specific wards, services and departments we know donors are unlikely to associate us as a charity, with the health services they are supporting.

  For those who want to donate or fundraise for us we know it might not be easy to find us as our name and brand do not really reflect who we are or what we do.

  We know from speaking to you that The Difference isn’t known or understood enough in its own right. As we shift from a charity focussed on major fundraising appeals to one that more proactively supports projects and patients across the breadth of NHS services every day, that we need a name that more clearly conveys who we are and our position as the official charity of NHS Borders.

  We also want to do more. We want to support more patients and more staff members, particularly in the areas that don’t traditionally receive donations. We want to better connect with key stakeholders including patients and families, staff, community groups, schools and businesses to increase awareness and support for the charity in terms of donations, fundraising and volunteers. For that we need a name and identity that is recognisable, is relatable and that you would be happy to donate to and put your trust in.

• Why did you choose NHS Borders Health Charity as the new name?

  We wanted it to be as clear as possible that we are the only legally linked, and therefore only official charity for NHS Borders.

  We work within the NHS Borders structure so are best placed to identify and deliver projects that will have a real impact on patient care and experience and support staff wellbeing and development.

• What will change as a result of the new brand?

  As well as our name and look changing across our public platforms you will hopefully also see us popping up in more places, providing you with more information about what we do and giving you more opportunities to engage with us.

  As a charity we are also working on our strategy so we can be clearer with you about our vision and aims for the future.

• Who did you consult?

  Back in March we issued a survey to help us understand what people know about us and how we can better engage with our community in the future. We had over 100 responses which have all helped to shape where we take the charity next.

  In June, we also tested a couple of brand concepts with staff, patients and members of the public in the Borders General Hospital before deciding on the final identity.

• When will the new branding be fully implemented across all platforms and materials?

  The new name and brand will start to roll out during July 2025. We will try to change everything over as quickly as possible but you may still see our legacy names and branding over the next few months as we make the transition and work to phase these out over time.

• How much is the rebrand costing?

  The work to create a new brand and identity, revise our website and purchase new branded materials is expected to cost less than £7,500 which is less than 1% of our income last year.

  We have been preparing and anticipating for this rebrand for several months so have held off replacing materials carrying the old brand in a bid to reduce waste.

• I have made donations in the past via BACS, does this mean your details will change?

  No, as it is just our “known as” name that we are changing, the name on our bank accounts remains “Borders Health Board Endowment Fund” however, even if you have given before and know the details we ask that you complete this online form when you are making a transfer so we can track and allocate your donation accordingly.

• What about cheques?

  Cheques can be made payable to “NHS Borders Health Charity”

• Is there anything else we should know?

  As well as our new name and brand we are launching our Greatest Need Campaign. We understand that when people donate they often have a very personal motivation for doing so and therefore they advise us where they wish their donation to support. Wherever possible we honour these wishes by doing our best to allocate the donation to the closest area of work or patient group. This means we don’t spend that donation elsewhere and that can make it challenging for us to support patients and staff across the full breadth of NHS Borders’ services, as many areas don’t traditionally attract donations.

  We are therefore launching a campaign asking you to donate to the work of the charity, allowing us to identify and support projects, patients and staff where the need is greatest.