2022 has been a fantastic year full of fundraising, milestones and projects that have helped to make Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) better and better. And none of it would have been possible, without you.
This year we’ve seen fundraisers hit huge milestones, like nurse Emma’s knitting stall reaching £40,000 in donations and former patient ‘Awesome Owain’ and his family hitting the £20,000 grand total mark they were aiming for this year.
People have passed incredible challenges, like a loving father scaling Mount Kilimanjaro to scatter his son’s ashes at the summit, children from the blood disorder and cancer departments at Bristol Children’s Hospital coming together for a day full of sports and fun, and a team of colleagues cycling across the mammoth landscape of Croatia.
Brave supporters have jumped from 15,000 feet, run half marathons or swam in the cold English Channel – all to raise money.
We celebrated 25 years of Wallace & Gromit’s Wrong Trousers Day. Our countdown celebrations to the big day included some of the biggest Bristolian names, there was a QR code Wrong Trousers hunt that took you around Bristol’s iconic locations, and together, we raised a brilliant amount of money – all while having fun!
Jingle Jam, the festive gaming fundraiser, was a huge success this year. The Yogscast, Bristolian gamers, play games and take on challenges in December to raise money, calling on their vast audience to watch, share and donate.
Jingle Jam Building will be complete with a rehabilitation suite for children in the last stages of their treatment who require therapy or physio. Meanwhile, their families will be able to stay in a relaxed, warm environment, close to the hospital – a home away from home. The Jingle Jam Building will be the first of its kind in the UK – and we’re so proud to bring this unique, much-needed facility to Bristol.
Corporate supporters and our generous trusts and foundations have all been getting stuck into the community spirit: like the Morrisons Foundation, who funded a new ventilator for NICU, everyone who sponsored a star or Gromit Unleashed character on our hospital projection this Christmas, and local businesses raising money for the hospitals close to their hearts.
Staff at both Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s NICU, as always, have blown us away with their dedication and excellence.
The year was wrapped up in sparkles and style with over 30 households in Bristol and beyond getting involved with ‘Shine Bright for Bristol Children’s Hospital’.
We’ve even been part of funding new hospital projects services and equipment, like brand new scrubs for our NICU staff, the refurbishment of the iconic Lollipop Be-Bop sculpture that now lights up Bristol Children’s Hospital every evening, new NICU ventilators, the launch of Forest School to help patients in their rehabilitation journey, wellbeing hampers and away days for our hard-working hospital staff, and a new-and-improved Cots for Tots house.
Take a look at our round-up of the past year:
We can’t wait to see what 2023 brings.
What challenges will you face?
Which fantastic fundraisers will you take part in?
How will you support your local children’s hospital and NICU?
Browse our upcoming 2023 events to see what’s on offer next year. You’re sure to find something you’ll love!