Over £2.8M raised in the first year of our appeal!

The Children’s Hospital Charity is delighted to announce that over £2.8M has been raised towards its Build a Better Future appeal since its launch a year ago today. Once completed, the fundraising will build a new Emergency Department and on-site Helipad at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, as well as transform the Cancer and Leukaemia ward.

Building work has already commenced, with work to relocate the Child Assessment Unit (CAU) underway. This is the first stage of the appeal as it creates a new and improved facility for some of our region’s most vulnerable children as well as providing the space for the Emergency Department to expand.

The £1m project is due to be complete by October and open to patients by the end of the year. The scheme will also allow the building work for the Emergency Department to begin once the £4.5m funding required has been raised.

The Emergency Department was built to see 32,000 children every year but now sees almost 60,000 every 12 months, from across South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.

The expanded department would create much-needed space, particularly for major trauma patients in critical condition who can require up to 15 members of staff at any one time in their treatment. It would also see the waiting room expand for four times its current size, with more treatment, consultancy and examination rooms, as well as more space for children to play.

Over the course of the last twelve months, supporters from across the region have been fundraising for The Children’s Hospital Charity. Lots of supporters took part in the charity’s ‘Golden Hour Challenge’ which raised more than £30,000 with match-funding from two generous donors, Graham Royle of GRI Group and another who wishes to remain anonymous.

More snowflakes than ever before also lit up Sheffield Children’s Hospital at Christmas. For the first time, the snowflakes were also in Sheffield city centre and raised a remarkable £250,000 thanks to the support of schools, community groups, businesses and individuals.

More recently, over 400 supporters of the hospital took to the iconic grounds of the Chatsworth Estate for a sponsored walk, raising over £20,000 for the Emergency Department. Last weekend, 575 people took on Theo’s Obstacle 5K at Hesley Wood Scout Camp, with the total raised expected to be more than £30,000.

In total, £14.25m needs to be raised, which also includes the construction of an on-site Helipad and a transformed Cancer and Leukaemia Ward. More than £750,000 has already been raised towards the Helipad, which includes the first instalment of £2.25M pledged towards its cost from the HELP appeal.

The Build a Better future appeal follows the completion of the ‘Make it Better’ appeal which raised over £10m towards three world-class new wards at the hospital, which opened to young patients and their families in April 2018.

The Children’s Hospital Charity’s director, David Vernon-Edwards said: “Thanks to the amazing generosity of our supporters, we’re pleased to announce today that we’re raised over £2.8M to build a better future for our hospital and construction work is already underway.

“While today marks an important milestone, we still have a long way to go. This is our biggest-ever fundraising appeal because these projects have never been more needed. Every donation, large or small, will make a difference to young patients from across the UK and beyond, who depend on our hospital’s excellent care.”

To find out how you can support the appeal to transform Sheffield Children’s Hospital, visit www.tchc.org.uk

Fundraising total to date

In the first year of the appeal, thanks to your support, we have raised an incredible £2,825,995 which means we are 14% of the way there. Thank you so much to everyone who has supported the appeal so far. Here's Myla to give you the extra special announcement!