Tag Archives: SCBU

Charity Day at Ilfracombe Aquarium raises over £1400

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IA FOH Team, LR & Cakes 230416Ilfracombe Aquarium Charity Day held on Saturday 23rd April raised an fantastic £1402.20 which was split between Over and Above Special Care Baby Unit Appeal and the Marine Conservation Society.

The charity event included a free exhibit entry for a donation, a cake sale, tombola and raffle.

Local businesses were very generous with their prize donations and on the day ‘Team Aquarium’ pulled out all the stops to entertain the crowds.

Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “The hospital charity are very grateful to Ilfracombe Aquarium for holding their family fundraising day and donating £701.10 to the SCBU Appeal.  The Appeal has now raised an amazing £120,000 towards its £250,000 target.

001Photograph L-R:  Martha Raybone, Chelsea Freeman, Bernadette Davis, Ste Corcoran, Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton and Ilfracombe Aquarium Director Lawrence Raybone.

Sew a ‘Snuggly’ for SCBU

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NORTH DEVON DISTRICT HOSPITAL Special Care Baby Unit is appealing for those with sewing skills to help parents bond with their babies.

The Special Care Baby Unit is looking for volunteers to help them make ‘snugglies’.

The aim is to give every baby that is cared for on the unit several snugglies, which are small muslin squares that are knotted in one corner, one for the mum and one for the baby.

Snugglie

Muslin snuggly 30 cm x 30 cm

One snuggly is placed in the incubator close to the baby and the other stays close to the parent to pick up their scent. Every few hours they are swapped around so that the baby and the parents share each other’s scent.

Special Care Baby Units across the UK have used snugglies on their wards and have found that it can help the mum and her baby bond, they help the mum to stimulate her milk production and can ease separation anxiety.

Senior Neonatal Staff Nurse & Educator Vikki Baker said “These little squares of muslin make such a difference to our mum’s and their babies.  Having a baby in SCBU can be a very emotional time and it is important that we give our mum’s the very best support we can.”

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Vicki Gallagher of Bideford delivered her twin girls at the North Devon District Hospital in March.  Brioney and Brooke Gallagher were born at only 35 weeks weighing just 1.615 and 1.295 kilograms and then cared for in the Special Care Baby Unit for 21 days. Vicki said “A snuggly is so important as it helps mums and their babies to become familiar with each other’s smell and it is a comfort to hold the snuggly when the babies are in an incubator and it is difficult to hold them when they are so small and fragile.  Having twins was a surprise as there are no twins on my side of the family but I have four other lovely girls who enjoy helping me.”

Over and Above Hospital Charity Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “Our SCBU Unit would be very grateful if volunteers could sew some squares of muslin and tie a knot at one end preferably in pastel colours and either post or bring into the Fundraising Office on Level 2 at North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB.   A few minutes of your time will make a big difference to our unit.”

The Special Care Baby Unit also need in pretty pastel colours or prints, flat brush cotton sheets and cot blankets approximately 500 x 900 mm and small knitted bags to put the baby’s keepsakes in such as namebands, BP cuffs, and first footprints so that parents can take all the items home to ensure these special “first items” do not go astray.

The charity’s latest Appeal is to raise £250,000 towards new equipment for the Special Care Baby Unit.  So far, £110,000 has been raised thanks to the generosity of the people of North Devon.

If you would like to give your support to the hospital charity Over and Above Special Care Baby Unit Appeal or one of the many other departments, or if you want to find out more, please visit; www.overandabove.org.uk and the charity’s Facebook page or contact the North Devon District Hospital Fundraising Team on 01271 311772 or email ndht.charity@nhs.net

 

 

 

 

 

Dance for SCBU

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GET READY to strut your stuff on the dance floor, bust some moves and boogie the night away with the hospital’s Over and Above Charity 12 hour Dance-a-thon.

The event is being organised by Project Dance Devon who offer a wide range of dance classes across North and Mid Devon for all ages and abilities.

Project Dance director Karen Moss said “There will be a variety of dance styles throughout the day to keep you moving.  We will start with a warm up of party dances, tap, rumba, freestyle, quickstep, cheer dance, paso doble, musical theatre, line dancing, street dance, rock and roll and burlesque style – saucy not naughty!  This event will be fun, fun, fun and is open to everyone so bring your whole family.

“I am a senior nurse at the hospital but also a dance instructor for Project Dance.  We have had a fabulous time at the hospital raising funds for the chemotherapy unit by organising a Harlem Shake which got staff from across the hospital involved.  It was because we had so much fun with that I thought it would be a perfect time to organise an event which everyone can take part in to support our Special Care Baby Unit Appeal”.

The event kicks off at 8am until 8pm on Sunday 10th April at Lampard Community School Hall at St Johns Lane, Barnstaple.

To take part simply download the Danceathon entry form 2016 and Sponsorship form and return it with your £2.50 registration fee to the Fundraising Team at North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 3JB .  Alternatively contact the fundraising Department on 01271 311772 or ndht.charity@nhs.net for an entry form.   You may also want to set up a Just Giving page on https://www.justgiving.com/OverandAbove/ to help you with your fundraising.

 Over and Above Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “We are delighted that Project Dance are supporting our Special Care Baby Unit in such a fun and energetic way.  Don’t worry if you have never done it before as a warm up and instructions will be given by Project Dance on the day.   If you feel you can’t do all 12 hours, don’t worry – just do what you can or take part as a team.  Participants are encouraged to bring pom-poms, tutu’s, cowboy hats.

Just get your dancing shoes (or trainers) on and we will see you there!”

DSCN1959 - bestPhotographs L-R:   North Devon District Hospital Physiotherapy Staff practicing their line dancing for the 12 hour charity dance-a-thon: Physiotherapist Lee Buckland, Administrator Catherine Holman, Staff Physiotherapist Jackie Jones

Katie’s 17 run challenge for SCBU

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Eighteen year old Petroc student Katie Baker is training for 17 runs in aid of the special Care Baby Unit Appeal.

Katie Baker in training for 13 runs in 2016 - 21.1.16 006Former Pilton College student Katie took up running a few years ago and trains at her local weekly Park Run at Rock Park in Barnstaple, and she is looking forward to joining a local running club in the near future to help her with her training.

Katie chose to support the Special Care Baby Unit because her older sister Laura, who is now 22, was treated in our Barnstaple unit and in Bristol, and her grandad has also recently received treatment at North Devon District Hospital.

Katie said “I wanted to support a local charity and the Special Care Baby Unit and the staff at North Devon District Hospital has played an important part  in helping to support our family over the years.”

Braunton 10mileThe runs that Katie has booked so far include the Braunton 10 miler on 24 January, the 6 mile Castle Corker on 21 February, the Bideford half marathon on 6 March, the Bath half marathon on 13 March, the Cardiff World half marathon on 26 March, the Plymouth half marathon on 17 April, the Hartland Heatbreaker on 1 May, the Bideford 10k on 15 May, the Cardiff Women’s 10k on 29 May, the Exeter Race for Life 10k on 24 July , the Barnstaple full marathon on 25 September, the Exeter half marathon in October and the Bideford 10 mile in November.

Over and Above Hospital Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “I was exhausted just listening to Katie telling me the number of runs she is planning to take part in.  It is an amazing challenge but I am sure with her dedication and determination she will do it, and her fundraising will be a great help in helping us to get that much closer to our Special Care Baby Unit Appeal target.

The Special Care Baby Unit Appeal aims to raise £220,000 to purchase much needed equipment to support our sickest and most vulnerable new born babies with urgent medical needs.   So far, thanks to the amazing support from the people of North Devon the hospital charity has raised £72,000 towards its target.  To help us reach the target, please sponsor Katie on https://www.justgiving.com/Katie-Baker13

Katie’s runs

24 January Braunton 10 mile

21 February, Castle Corker, 6 miles

6 March Bideford half marathon

13 March Bath half marathon

26 March Cardiff world half marathon

17 April Plymouth half marathon,

1 May Hartland heart breaker

15 May Bideford 10k

29 May Cardiff women’s 10k

24 July Exeter Race for Life 10k

25 September Barnstaple full marathon

Oct 2016 Exeter half marathon

Nov Bideford 10 mile

Bideford 10kUPDATE: Katie has just completed the Bideford 10k (her 9th run in the challenge), smashing her 10k time by 7 minutes and finishing in 48 minutes – a massive well done to Katie!

Colin bares all for SCBU

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Before

Before

NORTH MOLTON FARMER COLIN CHUGG resisted pleas from family and friends to tidy up his unruly hair and beard until Buttery Shoot Head Gamekeeper Gareth Clarke and fellow farmer Jim Nancekivell suggested the Over and Above’s Special Care Baby Unit Appeal.

The big shave took place at Poltimore Inn at North Molton, and Debbie Tapp was in charge of his shearing!

Among the spectators at North Molton’s Poltimore Inn were Debbie’s 5 year old son Charlie who was treated in the unit, and Gareth Clarke’s 9 year old twins Codie and Jasmine who also spent 3 weeks on SCBU.   Gareth Clarke and Leah Jerrett raised more than £400 sponsorship for Colin as Leah and her twin brother Matthew were treated in SCBU some 24 years ago.

Many members of the community supported Colin including Polimore Inn, Bulled’s Village Shop and the local hunt and shoot.

After

After

Colin raised a magnificent £2,100 sponsorship before the big shave, and on the day he raised an additional £125 by allowing Debbie to remove his eyebrows.  Colin is planning more fundraising for SCBU next year – possibly a wing walk!

Fundraiser Julie Whitton said “I hope someone has knitted Colin a hat to keep out the cold.  His fundraising is phenomenal.  If another 50 people could raise the same amount as Colin before Christmas we could reach our target to provide all the new equipment our Special Care Baby Unit needs to support our sickest and most vulnerable new born babies with urgent medical conditions – that would be the best Christmas present our Special Care Baby Unit could ever receive.”

IMG_2013Photograph: L-R : Debbie Tapp, Colin Chugg, Jane Dart, Gareth Clarke