Charlie’s Challenge Donates £17,052.55 to SNICU!

Just before Christmas we were thrilled to receive over £17,000 from the family and friends behind Charlie’s Challenge, all raised in aid of the Somerset Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (SNICU). Charlie spent a number of weeks in the Unit after he was born and so his family spent a lot of time with staff while he was getting better. Having now turned 1 just before Christmas 2020 and being a happy and healthy boy, and after just under a year of fundraising were able to present the incredible amount to Sue Fulker, Sister of the Neonatal Unit.

Charlie, Emma and Jo presenting the incredible amount to Sue Fulker, Sister of SNICU

So much fundraising happened to help reach the fantastic total and included things like:

• Zoom Zumbathon hosted by Carole-Anne Turner
• Zoom Drag Queen Bingo hosted by Drag With No Name
• Sold donated items online and at Car Boot Sales
• A painting sold on eBay by Ruby Price, a 12 year old twin who was born premature
• A silent auction to sell a piece of artwork by Jurassic Mandela Art, a local artist
• Plant sales and raffles
• Money raised by Minehead Running Club
• Staff at Gwilliam’s of Edington worked in Fancy Dress

Emma and Jo, Charlie’s parents had this to say:

“We are completely overwhelmed with the support we had for Charlie’s challenge, it’s so nice when a community pulls together to raise this amount of money. We started off wanting to raise £3,500 in Charlie’s first year. This was just to say a massive thank you for the support we were given by the SNICU when Charlie was born. We will never give the unit what they gave us, saving our little boy, but I hope that this money will help to buy more vital equipment to help save and help more babies like Charlie who need this extra support in the first weeks of their precious little lives. Thank you so so much to the staff at the SNICU for what you did for us and a massive thank you to everyone who helped to make this amazing total possible. We would like to say a massive thank you to Gwilliam’s of Edington for all their help and donations and selling raffle tickets, Minehead Running Club for their donations and all the local community who donated, bought raffle tickets, donated prizes for our raffle, we were overwhelmed with all the support. Also, thanks to The Parlour and The White Hart in Chilton Polden and everyone else who helped sell raffle tickets.”

Dan Varley, Love Musgrove’s Community Fundraiser said: “We were absolutely thrilled to receive the support of Charlie’s Challenge, and the funds raised will make such a difference to future babies that spend time in SNICU for years to come. A huge thanks to Emma and Jo for organising such a brilliant array of fundraising, especially during a huge variety of Covid-19 restrictions. It was lovely to see how many people rallied around this brilliant cause and donate so much money, thank you!”

We will keep you updated with what the funds will help SNICU buy, and we cannot wait to invite Charlie, Emma and Jo back, when restrictions allow, to let them see what a difference their donation has made.