Rotherham’s Tiny Toes appeal smashes £150,000 target for Neonatal Unit revamp

Thanks to the generosity of individual fundraisers, community groups and businesses, the charity has hit the incredible target to support The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust’s redevelopment of the unit – the first time it has been revamped in 40 years. 

The new unit was unveiled at a celebration event where fundraisers, families who had championed the appeal, Trust staff and major donors were invited to see the transformation. Andrea and Terry Jepson, who have fostered dozens of babies from the unit, cut the ribbon.  

Alison Cowie, the Trust’s Head of Nursing for Children’s Services, said: “It’s been a year of huge transformation on the neonatal unit and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results.

“Families with premature or poorly babies often face weeks or months of anxiety as they wait for their little ones to grow stronger. Our vision for the new unit was to create a space that feels like a home away from home - one where parents and babies can feel comforted and supported during what can be a very emotional time. 

“We care for hundreds of premature and poorly babies every year from Rotherham and beyond. The new unit means we can continue to deliver the exceptional care we always have in surroundings that reflect and support what we do.”

The neonatal unit supports more than 400 babies every year. 

The average pregnancy lasts around 40 weeks, but Rotherham’s neonatal unit cares for babies born from as little as 27 weeks. Families can spend anywhere from a few days to six months on the unit, meaning it becomes a second home for parents riding the rollercoaster of emotions, filled with hope and anxiety.

The Trust have funded the basic refurbishment and expansion of the unit while the Tiny Toes appeal has provided the extra special touches, including: 

• Refurbished bedrooms where parents to stay with their little one
• A renovated kitchen and family room where parents can prepare refreshments and involve their baby's siblings more easily
• Recliner chairs beside each cot, so they can sleep close to their precious newborn
• Cot-side lockers to allow parents to personalise their baby’s space, store their belongings, clothes and keepsakes 
• Toys and books for siblings to enjoy while they get to know their new brother or sister
• A quiet room where families can gain respite from the busy ward environment or discuss their baby’s care in private
• Skylights to help bring a sense of the outdoors onto the ward
• Artwork to help make the space feel less clinical and more homely

Sarah Jordan, from Heeley in Sheffield, spent 52 days on the neonatal unit with her son James when he was born at 29 weeks in June, weighing 2lbs. James began his neonatal journey in an incubator on high flow oxygen, being fed via a tube and treated with light therapy for jaundice.

Sarah said: “After 52 days we felt like part of the family! There were some setbacks along the way but he was eventually discharged weighing 4lb 12oz, more than double his birth weight. 

“The unit had recently been refurbished so the facilities were excellent. There is a family room equipped with lovely books to read to your baby, where you can eat, have a cuppa and take a break from the ward. There's a feeding room with everything you might need from breast pumps to bonding squares. There are family rooms where we could stay overnight, which are really pleasant spaces with star lights in the ceiling, comfy beds and a TV.

“No one wants their baby to end up in hospital for the first weeks or months of their life but the staff made the experience more bearable.

“They cared for our tiny baby until he was strong enough to come home with us and we will be forever grateful for that.”

The appeal’s major donors have included Matchroom Sport, which donated £25,000 and Wright’s Electrical, which donated £7,500 to sponsor one of the unit’s three family rooms. 

In August, the charity introduced the Tiny Toes Toddle to encourage nurseries, play groups, schools and nurseries to host a sponsored walk. The charity will be encouraging toddlers to take part annually to continue raising money to enhance neonatal care at Rotherham Hospital. 

Rachael Dawes, Head of Fundraising, said: “Our Tiny Toes appeal has been really heartfelt for us because we know that every penny raised will a massive difference to the most vulnerable patients we care for and their parents.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has helped us to fundraise – whether you have sponsored an event, skydived, took part in our golf days, organised a Tiny Toes Toddle, hosted an event at work or school or donated your spare change to our customised incubator at Rotherham Hospital– we couldn’t have done it without you. It feels wonderful to say we’ve reached our target!”