Local Pupils Raise £9,000 For St George's Neonatal Unit

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And visit the hospital to see how they've helped the babies and their families

Three pupils from Broomwood Hall school in Wandsworth visited the Neonatal unit at St George’s last week to see how their fundraising has helped the babies and their families in the hospital's Neonatal Unit.

The school raised £9,000 over the course of a year which has paid for equipment to support breastfeeding mothers. They did this through events such as cake sales, parent quiz nights and movie nights.

Philippa Powell, Deputy Head at Broomwood Hall, said, “It was so lovely to be able to see what our fundraising has been able to provide to the unit. We will take back all that we’ve learnt and share it with the rest of the school.”

One of the pupils added, “I was expecting the unit to be more crowded and noisy, but actually it is very calm and peaceful.”

St George's cares for around 600 babies and their families every year in the neonatal unit, and the team looks after up to 40 babies at any one time.

Dr Nigel Kennea, Neonatal Consultant, said, “Breast milk is absolutely vital for the wellbeing of premature babies. The school’s generous donation has helped buy special reclining feeding chairs - which enable better skin-to-skin contact - and breast pumps that can be used at the cot-side.”

The school raised the money through the Ickle Pickle Partnership, a charity set up by the mum of one of our neonatal patients who was cared for on the unit nine years ago. Ickle Pickle raises funds to support neonatal care, not just at St George’s, but across the UK.

Find out more about the Ickle Pickle Partnership

Find out more about St George's Neonatal Unit

October 6, 2017