Petroc Early Childhood Studies Students raised an amazing £353 for the Special Care Baby Unit Appeal by organising a quiz at Alverdiscott Village Hall.

Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “We will be putting this money towards the purchase of a new neonatal ventilator.  We are currently trying to raise funds for three ventilators, each one costing £23,500.  It is a lot of money but with the support from the Petroc Early Childhood Studies students and the people of North Devon we will raise the funds to make this upgraded equipment a reality in North Devon.”

Fundraisers are L-R Zoe Bennett, Felicity Sluman, Poppy Knill, Becky Raby and Daisy Goundry.

LEADING GLOBAL HEALTHCARE SUPPLIER PERRIGO, who has their UK Headquarters in Wrafton near Braunton, have donated an amazing £7,060 to the Special Care Baby Unit Appeal at North Devon District Hospital.

The money donated by the Perrigo Company Foundation, has been used to purchase two hotcots and neonatal warming mattresses.

Many babies admitted to North Devon District Hospital Special Care Baby Unit require extra help to support their breathing, keeping warm and feeding.   These hot cots will enable the Unit to keep babies who have been born prematurely or with a low birth rate at the correct temperature so that they do not become cold quickly.   The ‘hot cot’ has a special mattress that can be warmed or cooled according to a baby’s needs.   Sometimes if a baby is admitted to SCBU because they are showing signs of being unwell and their ability to produce heat is lowered, the baby will be put in a ‘hot cot’ to ensure optimal temperature, so that recovery can occur more quickly.

Deputy Ward Manager & Senior Staff Nurse Charlotte Woollacott said “The new hot cots will mean we can give our newborn babies who have difficulties in managing their temperature the very best care.”

Over 1,600 babies each year are born to mothers who are cared for by staff at North Devon District Hospital and by midwives working in the community.  The Special Care Baby Unit currently treats approximately 250 babies a year (which equates to approximately 1 in 6 babies born at North Devon District Hospital each year).  Because North Devon is geographically isolated, it is vital for the survival of our sickest babies that the Special Care Baby Unit offers the very best care that it can.

Newborn twins Luka and Franklin are leap year babies, born on 29^th February to Sarah Louise Beer and Craig Beer.  Sarah said “The Special Care Baby Unit staff have been absolutely amazing in looking after our baby boys and we cannot thank Perrigo enough for donating the hot cots which are helping them get stronger.”

 Perrigo Senior Leadership Team representative Perry Hopson has visited the unit to see the hot cots being used.  Perry said “The Special Care Baby Unit in Barnstaple is a very special place and it was a local appeal that Perrigo were very keen to support. The Perrigo Charitable Foundation’s mission is to provide financial support to non-profit organizations that enhance the health, well-being and education of individuals and families in communities that Perrigo serves. I was cared for in a special care baby unit and know how important the care of a newborn baby is at its early start in life”.

Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “We are absolutely delighted to receive such a generous donation from Perrigo.  The donation is already benefitting our most vulnerable and poorly babies.  Perrigo has been very generous to the Hospital Charity, raising an amazing £22,558 over the past five years supporting the building of the new Seamoor Chemotherapy & Day Treatment Unit and our Special Care Baby Unit Appeal.”

North Devon Road Runners Paul Bisset, Ian MacBeth and Bradworthy runner Kirsty Slade have secured places in the London Marathon and will be running in aid of the hospital charity “Over and Above.

Paul has run the London Marathon several times and enjoys the challenge. He said “I have run for North Devon Road Runners for the past 2 years and I feel the London Marathon would be a great achievement and it would enable me to reach another personal goal.  I received the Over and Above ballot place and had the privilege to visit the Special Care Baby Unit – it is an amazing place and I feel very proud to be supporting the unit while running this year’s marathon.”

Ian has been a member of North Devon Road Runners for the past 2 years and has run several marathons before but this is his first London marathon and he is very excited to take part.  Ian said “I was lucky enough to get a club ballot place for the Virgin London Marathon through my local running club, the North Devon Road Runners.  I decided that as I was doing the London Marathon I would like to support a local charity that my family have previously raised money for.  Ian works for Boden Fire Group and has organised a Charity Car Wash, scrumptious cakes and refreshments in aid of SCBU on Sunday 20 March from 8am – 4pm at Boden Fire and Security Offices, Unit B1 Woodside Court, Roundswell Business Park, Barnstaple, EX31 3TJ.

The money raised by Paul and Ian will be used to provide specialist equipment to care for premature and sick new born babies treated at North Devon District Hospital.   Paul and Ian have visited the Special Care Baby Unit and Paul said “I went to see these little babies in their incubators recently.   They are so little and fit into a palm of a hand.  These guys need the best chance with better equipment, so please give generously.”

Kirsty will be running in aid of the new Seamoor Chemotherapy & Day Treatment Unit at the North Devon District Hospital.  Kirsty said “I lost my Dad in 1999 to Leukaemia, and I have always wanted to give something back to the hospital that treated him so I decided to run the London Marathon in his memory and raise some much needed funds for our local hospital. I know this is going to be incredibly tough but I am so excited about taking on the challenge.”

Paul, Ian and Kirsty will run a phenomenal 26.2 miles on the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 24^th April, and are looking forward to being motivated along the way by the crowds and lots of other fundraisers.  Incredibly, Virgin London marathon is the largest annual fundraising event on the planet – so far runners have raised over £700 million for good causes since the race began in 1981.

To help Paul, Ian and Kirsty keep motived please give as much as you can.   All the proceeds from their marathons will go direct to their nominated areas – the Special Care Baby Unit and the Seamoor Unit.

Paul Bisset:  https://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Bisset/

Ian MacBeth:   https://www.justgiving.com/Ian-Macbeth2/

Kirsty Slade:   https://www.justgiving.com/Kirsty-Slade1/

Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “Our hospital charity “Over and Above” is delighted that Paul, Ian and Kirsty are running for us.  They are very enthusiastic about their fundraising and they can’t wait to take part in the London Marathon to support us.  I know they will have an amazing time.”

NORTH DEVON District Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit has been awarded with a grant from the Bliss Baby Charter Grants Fund for a phenomenal £10,000 towards neo natal equipment.

The grant has enabled the Unit to purchase five specialist breast pumps, a variety of developmental care aids, gel cushions, baby soothers and some toys for siblings to play with while their parents are caring for their new baby on the Unit.

Deputy Ward Manager & Senior Staff Nurse Charlotte Woollacott said “We are delighted to receive the Bliss grant.  It has meant that we have been able to purchase some additional breast pumps which our mothers find easy to use and will help us to provide the very best care we can.”

Two of the breast pumps will be loaned to new mums to borrow for home expression while their babies are being treated in the unit.   Because Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust covers a wide geographic location of 950 square miles, travel is difficult for some parents to make frequent trips to the hospital.   Loaning mums with a breast pump means they can express their milk regularly so they can give their baby the very best start in their life.

The equipment needed was identified by the Special Care Baby Unit neonatal staff and parents.

Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “It is important to the hospital that we give our mothers and their families the very best care and support we can during an emotional and stressful time.  The Bliss grant of £10,000 has helped us to raise £90,000 towards our £250,000 target to support our sickest and most vulnerable babies being treated at North Devon District Hospital.  It is the support by local people in North Devon and grants such as Bliss that we will be able to provide our SCBU unit with equipment “Over and Above” what the NHS can provide.”