By Jacqueline Elmore

Pilots and cabin crew have come together to provide NHS staff with a much-needed boost in the shape of a new first class lounge at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.

Project Wingman was the brainchild of two pilots, based in Moray and London, which led to 5,000 volunteers from the airline industry setting up ‘first class lounges’ in over 70 hospitals throughout the UK to help give something back to NHS staff.

Cuckfield resident Wendy Tracey-Roberts, who works in aviation crew training, had this to say about the project: “The idea for the lounges began at the height of the pandemic. Their purpose was to enable any furloughed airline crew the chance to provide a little wellbeing and care to frontline NHS staff.”

Crew from all the major UK airlines are participating and helping to run the lounges, by providing refreshments and creating a place in which NHS workers can de-stress. Wendy continues: “The PRH struggled to find space for a lounge for a while, until recently that is. It opened at the beginning of last month. They were even lucky enough to be given a donation of £50,000 from a local Haywards Heath business to allow the lounge to be fitted out.”

Supplies of refreshments and snacks for the lounges rely solely on donations; these have come in from big chain supermarkets, smaller companies and individuals. Thousands of airline staff have offered their time and skills to the project. “My involvement stems from the work I do for ‘Plane Training’. They were very much a part of the idea from the beginning and have been talking to the hospitals throughout the whole process.”

The lounges have provided a sanctuary for many carers, be that in the form of a listening ear or a hot cup of tea. Hassocks resident Maria Kontkanen said: “We all feel such deep gratitude to our doctors, nurses and all the NHS staff. Our First Class Lounge provides a great place for them to take time out from their demanding day. We welcome them with a smile. With an average of 250 NHS staff visiting the lounges every day, donations are still needed to allow the service to keep running.

Donations can easily be made through Amazon. To find out more, please email wendytrmacrae@aol.com.