Birmingham Children’s Hospital is a leading UK specialist paediatric centre, offering expert care to 90,000 children and young people a year. The hospital operates a range of specialist services including an intensive care unit, a transplant centre, and mental health services.
Throughout 2020, team members from Gallagher’s Brierley Hill office, based at The Waterfront, took part in a variety of charitable initiatives in support of the hospital – including climbing Mount Snowdon, completing an abseiling challenge, and organising an fancy dress day.
All funds raised went towards sponsoring play and recreation facilitators on the surgical urology and short term surgery wards over the festive period, who provided much needed entertainment and cheer to patients through a range of activities, including Christmas tree decorating, writing letters to Santa, and creating festive bunting.
The team's latest donation forms part of an ongoing partnership with the hospital, which will continue throughout 2021. Since 2019, team members have organised a variety of volunteering and fundraising initiatives in aid of the hospital, from facilitating arts and crafts sessions with patients, to taking part in a sponsored ‘wing walk’, an adrenaline-fuelled challenge involving participants standing on the wing of a small aircraft, while travelling up to speeds of 130 miles per hour.
As a result of the team’s fundraising efforts, Gallagher has been named as one of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity’s ‘100 Heroes’, an annual recognition programme which honours organisations who have gone above and beyond to raise vital funds for the hospital.
Commenting on the team’s fundraising efforts, Nick Sharman, Operations Director of Gallagher’s Brierley Hill office, said: “As a community broker, we are passionate about providing support to local good causes. Birmingham Children’s Hospital does a fantastic job looking after local children, with brilliant, compassionate staff who work hard to deliver the very best treatment and care to patients. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to support the hospital in what has been such a challenging year for organisations that rely on the generosity of donations, and help make a real difference to those who use its services.”
Helen Miles, Corporate Fundraising Manager at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We’re so thankful to the whole team at Gallagher’s Brierley Hill office, whose fundraising has provided invaluable support over the past couple of years. Our Play Team plays an essential part of a patient’s recovery, helping to distract them from the fear and anxiety of being in hospital, so they are relaxed to better cope with treatment. This money helped us to provide a better experience for our sick kids and their families over the festive period.”
