Our Chief Executive, Geoff Coleman, wrote to you in January, saying, "we have seen record numbers of admissions, above the previous records set in April last year. But the number of COVID referrals seems to have reached a peak and we are hopeful that over the coming weeks we will begin to see numbers stabilise and start to go down."

Well, that hasn't quite happened yet! We continue to admit patients with HIV, and those who are homeless or rough-sleeping and needing step-down care to aid their recovery. We are also caring for people recovering from COVID-19 from both cohorts, so we are as busy as ever! All our beds are in use and there is a waiting list of patients who will be transferred to us as soon as they become available.

According to the Mayor of London's Office, on 09 February 2021, the daily number of new people tested positive for COVID-19 in London was reported as 1,567. The total number of COVID-19 cases reported is 675,283, and 92 people had died in London hospitals following a positive test for COVID-19 within a 7-day period up to 4th February. The total number of people who have died following a positive test for COVID-19 in London hospitals up to 09 February 2021 is 13,507.

Despite these troubling stats, we still don't know if our NHS contracts will be renewed after April 2021. A year after the start of our #SaveMildmay Campaign, we may be heading right back to square one, despite the significance of the COVID statistics. However, we must remain optimistic and plan for the future, hoping that common sense will prevail.

With this in mind, we recently launched Mildmay's Hospital Equipment Fund, to consolidate donations from people who wish to support Mildmay Hospital directly. From time to time, we need to purchase or replace important equipment that helps with the care, rehabilitation, and recovery of our patients. As you can imagine, our medical and patient-care equipment gets a lot of use - more so now than ever because of the pandemic.

Right now, we need to purchase two ECG machines to replace ones that are reaching the end of their useful lives. One has already failed and we have dipped into our reserves to replace it. We are hoping that our supporters will help us raise the £6,000 needed to purchase a second machine. If you can help, or would just like to find out more, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/36ziwZf to the Fund's page on our website.

Thank you all once again for your support and interest. Your passion for and dedication to what Mildmay stands for is so important to us.