September 2017
Fundraiser pounds the streets for dreamdrops
Runner Ricky Taylor, 31, from St Neots, raised almost £1000 after he completed the Great North Run on Sunday 10 September.
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s charity, ‘dreamdrops’’, is set to receive the donation for children who are either being nursed on Holly Ward or the Special Care Baby Unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, or who are being nursed in the community. The money will be used to purchase those little extras to make life a little more comfortable for children when they are unwell.
Ricky said: “I chose ‘dreamdrops’ because I wanted to give something back to a local charity. Once I had read what fantastic work ‘dreamdrops’ does for the children and the local community, that was enough for me.
“I was due to run on my own, but my friend, Ben Reading, was doing the run also, so we ran together for about 10 miles, which helped me massively. My training has been a bit sketchy to say the least, and I trained regularly up to 10 miles at a time on the streets of St Neots. I knew if I could do that, then the great crowd in the north east would get me to the finish line, which they did, thankfully.”
The Great North Run is one the biggest half marathons in the world. Ricky completed the 13.1 mile half marathon in 1 hour 48 mins, and came 5746th out of 44,000 people.
Anne-Marie Hamilton, Chairman of the ‘dreamdrops’ fundraising committee said: “Thank you, Ricky, for choosing to run on behalf of ‘dreamdrops’. You have raised a substantial amount of money for our charity and we cannot thank you enough.”
Ricky set a modest target of £500, and on Sunday it reached £840. Ricky’s Just Giving page is still open, if you would like to help him, you can find his page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ricky-taylor2
Money raised through ‘dreamdrops’ is used to provide additional items for the Special Care Baby Unit and Children’s Ward, as well as children who are cared for at home. For further information on how you can help raise funds for the charity, please visit http://www.dreamdropschildrenscharity.org or email mailto:dreamdrops.dreamdrops@nhs.net
May 2017
Fun Run raises money for local children’s unit
The event took place at Hinchingbrooke Country Park where people took part in a 5k or 10k run, or a 5k walk and buggy/wheelchair push. The participants were of all ages, from 8 week old babies in prams to grandparents. They included staff, patients and their families and members of the general public.
Matthew Winn, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust which runs Holly ~Ward and the Special Care Baby Unit was there to start both the run and the buggy push and said: “We were overwhelmed by the fabulous support shown by local families who, alongside our amazing staff, did a fantastic job raising funds for our children’s services.
“A huge thank you also to staff, the Rotary Club and members of Dreamdrops (Huntingdon’s Children’s Charity) who helped marshal the event, as well as the Kier Group, Tesco and Little Aqua Swim for sponsoring us and raising money for new equipment. The atmosphere was fantastic and everyone had a great time.”
The event was the brain child of Dr Kate Riley and Staff Nurse, Kathryn Childs, who after struggling to put
a drip in an unwell toddler decided that if they had a piece of equipment called an Accuvein the procedure would have been easier and more importantly less traumatic for their young patient.
Kate said: “The Accuvein is a special infra-red light which allows the position of blood vessels not visible to the naked eye to be identified. The cost of this device is £3000 and the majority of those in use around the country are purchased following fund raising events. Every penny raised by the participants will be used towards the purchase of the Accuvein.
“I am so pleased with how the event went and I am delighted that we will almost certainly be able to buy the equipment we need to make blood tests and drips easier for babies and children. I want to say a huge thank you to all involved – and yes we may do it again next year!”
The target was to raise £7000 to cover the cost of two Accuveins and stands. Thanks to everyone’s support they have already raised over £6000! Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so via the justgiving page at: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/childrensunit10k
April 2017
Easter fun raises money for local Children’s Unit
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s charity ‘dreamdrops’ has received a donation of £162 for the Children’s Unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.The money, was donated by Churchill Catering Ltd, part of Cambridgeshire Police headquarters, through an Easter charity event with all proceeds going to a charity of their choice, this year they chose ‘dreamdrops’.Anne-Marie Hamilton, Chairman of the ‘dreamdrops’ fundraising committee said: “We are extremely grateful to Churchill Catering for their very generous donation.“The money will be used to purchase sensory toys for the new Autism Friendly area in the Children’s Outpatient area.”Philip Valentine, from Churchill Catering said: “’dreamdrops’ was chosen as our local charity this year and staff and officers at the Police headquarters guessed how many eggs were in a jar at a cost of £1 per go, and we also sold homemade cupcakes at 50p each. All the proceeds raised will go to ‘dreamdrops’. It was a huge success and we were more than happy to help the local children’s unit.”Money raised through ‘dreamdrops’ is used to provide additional items for the Special Care Baby Unit and Children’s Ward, as well as children who are cared for at home. For further information on how you can help raise funds for the charity please visit www.dreamdropschildrenscharity.org or email dreamdrops.dreamdrops@nhs.net.(Photo: Left to right – Lesley Baldock, Karen Cooper, Competition winners Bill Nisbett, Lucy Thomson, Anne-Marie Hamilton, Chairman of dreamdrops, Philip Valentine, Tina Young and Nina Hull).March 2017
New Parent’s Room officially opened at local Special Care Baby Unit
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s charity ‘dreamdrops’ has received a donation enabling them to officially open the new parent’s room at the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) based at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
The new parent’s room and two new toilets that have recently been built onto the Unit, were formally opened by the Guests of Honour, Meera Wiggett and her daughter, Maia, who spent time on the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) after being born six weeks prematurely, weighing just 3lb 1oz.
The money for the new mother’s room was raised at a Fun Day at Loves Farm in St Neots and enabled the charity to purchase a new bed, bedclothes, duvet, pillows, standard light and a lovely canvas picture for the room. In addition, Colin Dunn, a close family friend persuaded the company he works for, Ernst and Young, to ‘match-fund’ some of the money raised, which has enabled the purchase of a TV with a DVD for the room.
Anne-Marie Hamilton, ‘dreamdrops’ Chairman said: “To have the new mother’s room and also the ‘Loo for SCBU’ has long been the dream of the staff and many of the patients who have used SCBU over the years. It is a real privilege to see the dream finally come true, thanks to Meera, her family and friends, the Board of Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and the many generous, local people who have donated to ‘dreamdrops’ since the charity was first established. It is a truly wonderful achievement.”
Maia was diagnosed with holes in her heart and spent six weeks in SCBU before being transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) for interim heart surgery, when the family received more unexpected news. They found Maia was having difficulty breathing and she was diagnosed with long segment tracheal stenosis (narrowing of the trachea, which provides air to and from the lungs) and this had to take priority over her heart surgery.
At just two months old, surgeons performed a slide tracheoplasty, a pioneering surgery technique that shortens the trachea but makes it wider and stronger. The technique was developed at GOSH to widen a child’s airways so they can breathe. Maia’s surgery was a success and after six weeks recovering in GOSH, Maia was transferred to Hinchingbrooke Hospital, until she was strong enough to go home with her family.
A few months after her trachea operation, Maia returned to GOSH for more surgery to repair the holes in her heart. After day 5, Maia was determined to make a full recovery, and 2 weeks after the operations, Maia was soon well enough to go home again.
Meera said: “Maia’s time on the Special Care Baby Unit was invaluable. Both the doctors and nurses provided Maia with the care she needed so she was strong enough to go through the major surgery that was required to save her life.
“SCBU have been there for us as a family. Not just for Maia, but for us as parents, and we can’t thank them enough. We held a Family Fun Day in St Neots to raise money for the Unit, and we are delighted and honoured to be here today with Maia to open this amazing Parent’s room.
“We hope this helps other families who are also here, and we will continue to support SCBU in the future and support them in the fantastic work they do. Maia is making great progress and is now a very talkative 2 year old toddler.”
Money raised through ‘dreamdrops’ is used to provide additional items for the Special Care Baby Unit and Children’s Ward, as well as children who are nursed at home. For further information on how you can help raise funds for the charity, please visit www.dreamdropschildrenscharity.org or email dreamdrops.dreamdrops@nhs.net.
Photo 1: Sarah Hughes (Matron for Acute Children’s Services), Tracy James (SCBU Ward Manager), Joan Pope (SCBU Housekeeper), Mandie Wiggett with baby Kyan, Meera Wiggett with Maia Wiggett, Anne Marie Hamilton (Chairman for Dreamdrops), Anne Whiley (SCBU Nursery Nurse), Charlie Spanton with baby Tommy, Zoe Page with Alfie and Claire Exton with baby Freddie.
Photo 2: Meera and Maia cutting the ribbon
Photo 3: Maia during her treatment
January 2017
RAF donation raises funds for local Children’s Unit
Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust’s charity ‘dreamdrops’ has received a donation of £1,500 for Holly Ward at Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
The money, which was raised by RAF Wyton’s Darts Association, is being used to purchase those little extras to make the children’s stay on the ward more comfortable.
Anne-Marie Hamilton, Chairman of the ‘dreamdrops’ fundraising committee said: “We are extremely grateful to RAF Wyton for their continued support, and for this very generous donation.
“The money will enable us to buy two Etch-a-Sketchs to keep the children occupied when they are ill in bed, plus some much-needed new cot mobiles which can withstand regular cleaning, and also an iPad which will be used not only as a pain distraction, but will also help staff to communicate with patients who cannot communicate verbally/speak English.”
RAF Wyton’s Station Charities Fund Committee works on behalf of the Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Phil Owen organising station charity events. The committee helps to identify local charities and good causes in the local community, with the aim of providing charitable donations.
The money donated was raised through their Darts League which takes place twice a year, with between 18 and 20 players participating in each. Every time a match is played, the players pay £1 to play, along with a series of “fines” throughout the season. On Finals Night, they also run football cards with half the winnings going to their chosen charity, the last two winners kindly donating their winnings to ‘dreamdrops’.
Warrant Officer Anthony Booth said: “’dreamdrops’ was chosen because we wanted to support a local charity that provides an invaluable service to the community, and with most of the players having small children, the ‘dreamdrops’ charity seemed the bvious choice, and we are proud to support such a worthwhile organisation.”
(Photo: Anne-Marie Hamilton, chairman of dreamdrops, Senior Aircraftman Martyn Eskrett, Staff Sergeant Liam Asquith, Senior Aircraftman Tom New and Senior Aircraftman Richard Stanbridge)
Children’s Charity receives a Little Help donation from Huntingdon Tesco Extra
A charity which supports children and their families at Hinchingbrooke Hospital is to rejuvenate its sensory room, thanks to a £1,000 donation from Tesco Extra in Huntingdon.
Dreamdrops – Huntingdonshire Children’s Charity, makes a real difference to children and families who use hospital or specialist children’s health facilities.
It fundraises for the hospital’s Children’s Unit – Holly Ward – and the Special Care Baby Unit, Huntingdonshire’s only neo-natal unit, which is run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and cares for premature and sick babies as well as supporting children who are nursed in the community.
The donation is part of Tesco’s commitment to support local community groups and charities and will pay for a rejuvenated sensory room at the hospital, which can be used by child patients and those visiting for assessment and other appointments.
Anne-Marie Hamilton, chairman of the charity, visited the Tesco Extra store in Abbots Ripton Road, Sapley, to receive the cheque from store manager Guy Schwabe and Community Champion Alyce Barber.
Store manager Guy Schwabe said: “The money raised by the charity is used to provide those items that can help make a child’s hospital stay more comfortable, support young patients and their families at home and get the latest equipment to improve a patient’s experience.
“We are delighted to be able to help out with this donation and hope the children enjoy the sensory room when it opens.”
Anne-Marie Hamilton, chairman of the charity, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the donation, which we will use to get the sensory room in the children’s outpatient department back up and running as it is currently closed because it needed refurbishing and updating.
“This is used by children visiting the outpatients department for appointments, children from the wards, who are well enough to walk downstairs, and, during the holidays, children with disabilities or life-limiting illnesses.”
