Thank you for support in 2010

2010 has been a busy year for Southampton Hospital Charity, which has included the opening of a £55,000 playground for children at Bursledon House, thanks to a generous grant from the League of Friends, a charity ball, a garden party and a skydive with sixteen brave fundraisers. October also saw a team of 20 intrepid adventurers climb mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The team of nurses, family and friends raised over £40,000 from the challenge which will help to improve parental accomodation on the unit at the Princess Anne Hospital.

In the lead up to Christmas, children’s wards at Southampton General Hospital have also had visits from Hampshire Cricket Club and Southampton Football Club, as well as generous donations of Christmas presents by the Royal Navy Motorcycle Club, Tiptoe School, Sainsburys Shirley, Ready Steady Store and British Gas. Local companies Interaction Recruitment and TLC Ladies Gym also kindly donated Christmas gifts to elderly patients in hospital over the festive period.

Thanks to its supporters, Southampton Hospital Charity has raised over £1.4million in the past year. This has allowed the purchase of a range of goods and services to complement and enhance the provision of healthcare at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

Here are just a few ways that donations have made a difference this year:

•  A cardiac probe for adult cardiac services costing £548
• A carbon dioxide monitor for the Cystic Fibrosis Unit costing £5,000
• A mobile patient chair for intensive care costing £6,584
• Paediatric assessment microscopes costing £7,021
• A bladder scanner for neuro/stroke unit costing £8,380
• Microscopes for cancer care costing £8,508
• An infusion system for radiology costing £13,278
• Software for radiotherapy costing £13,662

As well as fundraising for wards and departments, Southampton Hospital Charity’s Red & White Appeal| aims to raise £2.2million to create a specialist treatment centre for patients with leukaemia. The total raised for the Appeal now stands at £654,904, and with the support of the community and local businesses it is hoped that the Appeal will reach it’s goal as soon as possible, to benefit patients with life threatening blood disorders from across the region.

Carrie Bolt, Southampton Hospital Charity’s Fundraising Manager said "We are really proud of Southampton Hospital Charity’s achievements this year, but we couldn’t have done it without our fantastic donors and fundraisers who have helped us to raise such a tremendous total for 2010.

"Thank you to everybody who has supported us this year. You have made a real difference to patients here at the hospital, and will continue to help us to provide an environment to exceed expectations. We are really looking forward to 2011 and we are encouraging everyone across the city to get involved in Red & White Appeal Day| on 4 March to help us reach our £2.2million target."