A charity café is opening in memory of a “lovely” man, with all profits going towards improving hospital care for people with learning disabilities.
Danny Lynch, from Pinehurst in Swindon, died at Bristol Royal Infirmary in November 2023, aged 40, after complications during surgery.
Following his death, his mother, Maria, founded the charity ASK Danny to advocate for people like Danny, who have complex learning disabilities, before or during a hospital stay.
Maria said the profits raised by cafe sales will pay for healthcare assistants who specialise in caring for people with learning disabilities to provide weekend cover at Great Western Hospital (GWH).
Maria said she set up the charity to help channel her grief and to offer support to other people who find themselves in a similar situation to her and Danny when he was in hospital in 2023.
Currently, there are specific nurses who take care of people with learning disabilities during week days at the hospital, but not over the weekends.
She believes the weekend staff could make a “big difference” for families.