Make an Ongoing Difference to the NHS by Joining the Microhive Donation Scheme

We’re proud to share that Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has received a Silver Microhive Award, recognising the incredible generosity of staff who have helped raise over £18,500 for Brighterway through Microhive’s payroll giving scheme.

This is a major achievement, and it’s also an opportunity to do even more. Right now, many staff – particularly those who joined from Solent NHS Trust or were part of the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust before the merger to NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare – aren’t yet part of this scheme.

That means thousands of us are missing a simple, low-effort way to support patient and staff wellbeing across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The good news is that it’s easy to join the scheme, it’s already making a difference, and together, we can make that difference go even further.

What is Microhive?

Formerly known as Pennies from Heaven, Microhive is a national payroll donation scheme that’s been running for over a decade. The idea is simple: small, regular donations are taken from a salary rounding process, and are sent directly to charity.

Microhive partners with organisations like Aldi, Barclays, Harrods and the NHS to make it easy for employees to give to causes they care about, without needing to set anything up themselves.

Here at Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS Foundation Trust, the chosen charity is Brighterway. Microhive operates through payroll, so employees don’t have to do anything once enrolled – there are no direct debits, no paperwork and no hassle.

Over £1.8 million has been raised nationally by NHS staff using Microhive. It’s a small action, with a wide-reaching ripple effect benefiting numerous NHS charities. This includes the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, where staff participation in Microhive reached 19% in 2023, earning a Bronze Award that year. In the following 12 months (April 2023 – April 2024), donations increased by an additional 30%

These ongoing and expanding donations enable NHS charities like Brighterway to enhance their services and extend their reach, addressing crucial needs that NHS budgets may not cover.

How the Microhive Scheme Works

“Let’s unleash the power of small change giving and create change one penny at a time.”

Microhive operates on a simple yet powerful premise: employees donate the pennies from their pay each month, with a maximum contribution of 99p per month (£11.88 annually). So, for example, if your monthly pay is £1,234.56, then 56p goes to charity.

This approach makes giving easy, manageable, and impactful.

The scheme is straightforward to implement. For instance, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust utilised Microhive’s online sign-up page, allowing staff to join the scheme effortlessly. New employees are informed about Microhive during induction and are enrolled unless they choose to opt out, streamlining participation.

Microhive’s model demonstrates that small individual contributions can have a significant collective impact, creating more opportunities for charities to thrive. As a Social Enterprise, Microhive aims to involve everyone in micro-giving, fostering a collaborative effort for societal betterment.

It may be small change, but funds add up fast when many people are involved. There’s no management required from you, and you can opt out at any time. As Microhive’s mission could be summed up: “We use small change to create big change.”

What You Can Do Today

Sign up via the Staff Portal. It takes less than a minute.

You’ll barely notice the donation, but the impact is real. Brighterway already has a strong reputation, and it’s your continued support, at any level, that keeps that work growing.

All donations go directly to Brighterway, helping us support initiatives that sit outside core NHS funding. That includes:

Sensory rooms for patients
Therapeutic outdoor spaces and gardens
Arts and music therapies
Staff wellbeing resources and programmes

These aren’t extras, but rather, the things that bring comfort, dignity, and joy to people at difficult times. Every new signup helps Brighterway do more, and sends a clear message about the kind of culture we’re building together: one rooted in compassion, community, and care.

Why Now?

Since the merger of Southern Health and Solent NHS Foundation Trusts into the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Trust in late 2024, all staff now have access to Microhive via the Staff Portal. However, many of our colleagues may not realise this – and uptake is currently lower than it could be.

The Silver Microhive Award reflects that more than 15% of staff are already taking part. To achieve a Gold Microhive Award – and the significant official recognition and enablement that can bring – we need to reach 20%. The recognition that comes with accolades like the Microhive Awards can enable greater visibility, more funding, and a deeper culture of workforce giving.

We’re close, and with just a small number of new signups, we can get there. More importantly, we’ll be unlocking even greater potential to support patient wellbeing and staff support across our Trust.

How Microhive’s New Direction Can Support Our Work

In 2023, Microhive introduced their Quality Mark. This allows organisations to showcase their commitment to societal enrichment and support for their chosen charities and communities. Only Microhive Award winners can use this mark on their websites, ESG reports, and other stakeholder communications, making it a notable achievement.

ESG initiatives are increasingly vital for long-term organisational success and reputation, particularly the ‘social’ aspect for charities like Brighterway. Recognition through the Microhive Awards publicly evidences a company’s positive impact, draws greater attention to their work, and inspires employees.

By earning a Silver Microhive Award, Brighterway continues to support the NHS and demonstrates to our customers, clients, and potential partners our ongoing commitment to making a meaningful difference in society.

As Microhive CEO Kate Frost aptly stated: “Congratulations and thank you for being part of Microhive, where together we are empowering change, one penny at a time.”

You can read more about the Awards and see all the winners on the Microhive website.

#MicrohiveAwards2025