29 July 2015
Intensive care nurse raises £10,000 for Cots for Tots Appeal
A staff nurse from the Regional
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St. Michael's Hospital has
celebrated raising £10,000 for the Cots for Tots Appeal.
Emma Stuart raised the impressive amount by running
the fundraising stall at the hospital, which she runs on her days
off.
Emma has run the stall for three years, selling Cots for Tots
merchandise and other donated items. She celebrated the fundraising
milestone by holding a cake sale for hospital staff, patients and
visitors.
The Cots for Tots Appeal raises money to support the hospital's
NICU, and is part of Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal. It also
runs Cots for Tots House, a 12-bed family accommodation unit for
families whose babies are being treated at the hospital, allowing
them to stay close to them at all times. The cost of running the
House is entirely funded by the Cots for Tots Appeal.
Emma sells Cots for Tots Appeal keyrings and lanyards, as well
as items from the charity's range of 'Gromit Unleashed' and 'Shaun
in the City' merchandise. The stall also sells hand-knitted baby
blankets and cardigans donated by local supporters.
Emma said, "I started running the stall in December 2012 and am
here for one morning every week, depending on my shifts. Working on
the unit, I know first-hand how important the work of the Cots for
Tots Appeal is, and how much it means to the families whose babies
are undergoing treatment. I'm absolutely th
rilled that the stall has raised such a huge amount.
"All of the nurses here come to know the families really well
while their babies are with us, and knowing that my stall is
helping to support them is really rewarding."
Anne Clements, manager, Cots for Tots House , said, "Emma truly
goes the extra mile to support the families whose babies are on the
NICU, giving up her free time every week to run the stall. Emma
has also run the Bristol 10K in support of Cots for Tots, and
volunteered for the charity during our 'Gromit Unleashed' trail in
2013. We are very proud to have her as one of our volunteers, and
were delighted to help her celebrate reaching this incredible
total.
"The money raised will enable us to continue to support the
NICU's vital work, as well as provide support to the families who
come from all over the south west and further afield for their baby
to have treatment at the hospital.
"Cots for Tots House is a hugely important facility for these
families. It means they can stay just minutes away from their
babies' sides, but also get some all-important respite from the
stresses of their child's treatment. We are so grateful for the
support of our fantastic fundraisers and volunteers like Emma, who
help us to continue to provide this lifeline to parents and
families of special care babies."
For more information about the Cots for Tots Appeal, visit www.cotsfortots.org.uk
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