The Lewis Foundation charity named regional Pride of Britain Awards finalist during 10th anniversary year
Well-renowned charity The Lewis Foundation has been named as a regional finalist at the Pride of Britain Awards during its impressive 10th anniversary year.
April marked a decade of Lorraine and Lee Lewis’ dedication to bringing comfort, dignity and human connection to adult cancer patients across the region through free gift packs and support visits.
Founded in 2016 following their experience supporting Lee’s mum during cancer treatment at Northampton General Hospital, the journey began with a simple but powerful realisation.
While buying small items to make her hospital stay more comfortable, the couple noticed some patients had no visitors or loved ones to bring essential items or comforts.
Determined to change this, they started purchasing and delivering items themselves and this act of kindness has grown into a movement that now supports thousands.
The Lewis Foundation hand-delivers more than 2,000 free gift packs every month to patients receiving treatment at 17 hospitals across the Midlands, including Northampton General Hospital.
The charity offers a range of thoughtfully curated packs containing overnight essentials, toiletries, letter-writing kits, miniature radios and other items designed to reduce loneliness and provide practical comfort during some of life’s most difficult moments.
Over the past decade, the organisation has evolved significantly, growing from a grassroots initiative into an award-winning charity and social enterprise with a wide-reaching community impact.
Alongside its hospital work, The Lewis Foundation now operates the Link Café at Northampton Museum & Art Gallery, a coffee shop at the Elgar Centre in Upton and a retail outlet store in Northampton town centre.
Last year, the charity celebrated raising more than £1.2 million since its launch, highlighting the scale of community backing. With a dedicated team of volunteers and hundreds of regular supporters, The Lewis Foundation ensures adult cancer patients feel remembered, supported and valued.
It was the icing on the cake for The Lewis Foundation team when they found out in August that they had been shortlisted as a regional finalist at this year’s Pride of Britain Awards.
“For us, we just get on and do what we do,” Lorraine told the Chronicle & Echo. “We don’t think about the scale and impact of our work. It’s still a mystery about who nominated us. 10 years on and we still hear from people who remember how good our work made them feel.”
Lorraine and Lee will soon find out if they have been successful against their three fellow finalists, with the winner competing against the other regional winners from across the country for the national title of ITV Fundraiser of the Year at the ceremony in October.
When asked why it is difficult to stand back and look at the positive difference the work of The Lewis Foundation is making, Lorraine concluded: “We’re doing it every single day and we crack on. When we look at the scale of our unit, warehouse, volunteer team and you speak to the patients, you realise it does make a difference.”