Last year almost 400 babies were born needing extra help from the Neonatal Unit at Wirral Women and Children’s Hospital at Arrowe Park in the first few days and weeks of their lives.
The Wirral University Trust Hospital (WUTH) Charity needs to raise £1.5 million to extensively refurbish the Neonatal Unit. The money raised will help to fund the refurbishment and expansion of the Neonatal Unit including world-class medical equipment and enhanced parent facilities. The funds are needed to provide the best possible Neonatal Unit for the babies and their families.
On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 September, many people took part in the abseil to help raise the funds needed. Victoria Burrows, Head of Fundraising at WUTH Charity, said, “This is the ‘Tiny Stars’ abseil and it is the first time we’ve done it in two years. In fact, this is the first fundraising event we’ve done since we’ve been able to hold events again.
“We’ve got 130 people taking part over the two days and we’re estimated that at least £15,000 will be raised. It’s been an absolutely phenomenal response! It’s been a lovely event for people to get back into fundraising.”
Families who have benefited from the hospital’s neonatal unit took part, as well as staff from the hospital and local businesses.
Victoria Inman was one of the many people who took up the abseil challenge. She said, “I’ve just abseiled down Arrowe Park Hospital for the ‘Tiny Stars’ appeal for the new neonatal unit. My little boy, Adam, was here [at the Neonatal Unit], and he’s now turned three, but in the first week of his life, he spent time in the Neonatal Unit and they did a great job of looking after him!”
On Victoria Inman’s JustGiving page 
, she says, “Without the care they gave, who knows where he [Adam] would be today. We are so grateful for everything they did to support us and to give Adam the best start. This is our chance to give something back! This is a very small thing we can do compared to the life changing things the Neo-Natal unit do.”
Victoria Inman concluded by saying, “I hope I’ve done something to give back to help them give more support to more families.”
You can still donate to Victoria Inman’s appeal on her JustGiving page
Main image: Victoria Inman (2nd L) and her family after the abseil. All photos credit: www.fotopiaimages.com except image taken from the rooftop: Penny Richardson, WUTH
Latest news