Author Archives: Amy Patterson
Corporate Supporters are so important to Tiny Lives, and we are always thrilled when a local company chooses to make a difference and donate to us.
We were recently contacted by the wonderful team at Stowe Family Law, who have opened an office in Newcastle and were keen to support local families. They have now made a generous donation of £250 to Tiny Lives!
Rachel Hardwick, Funding and Partnerships Officer at Tiny Lives said: “This kind donation could fund 8 Claire’s Nests, or 25 Parent Packs for families newly admitted to the RVI Neonatal Uni and is sure to make a huge difference. We are so grateful for the wonderful support showed by Stowe Family Law.”
Tom Suttill, speaking on behalf of the Law Firm, said: “Stowe Family Law are proud to support Tiny Lives Trust with a donation towards their wonderful work with babies & families in the region. We would wholeheartedly encourage other local businesses to get involved and contribute in any way possible.”
If your workplace is feeling inspired and would like to aid Tiny Live in supporting 800+ babies and families annually on the RVI Neonatal Unit, you can find out more about Corporate Support here, or contact Rachel, here.
Stowe Family Law are a compassionate team of successful family solicitors who serve clients in the Tyne and Wear region from their Newcastle office: https://www.stowefamilylaw.co.uk/offices/newcastle/
Tiny Lives is proud to have delivered their first Neonatal Awareness Training session to employees and leaders at Sunderland University.
The training, designed to educate businesses about the potential impact of Neonatal Care on their employees, was delivered via Teams to the Parent and Carers group at Sunderland University. Led by Tiny Lives staff Rachel Hardwick (Funding and Partnerships Officer) and Jacqui Adams (Projects Officer), the 35-minute training session covered:
- A basic overview of Neonates and Neonatal Care.
- The work of Tiny Lives and how the charity supports families.
- How an employer can support staff members whose baby needs Neonatal Care.
- A first-hand account from a parent who spent time on the Neonatal Unit.
- Laws and policies to be aware of.
- How a company can support Tiny Lives.
Rachel said: “We are delighted that the team at Sunderland University found the training so useful. At Tiny Lives we are dedicated to improving outcomes for families who experience Neonatal Care, and by educating local employers we hope to create a more supportive and understanding environment for these families.”
If your workplace may be interested in taking part in this free training session, please contact Rachel here.
We’re looking for parents who are willing to share their story about their time on the RVI Neonatal Unit with us, to be used on our website, social media channels, and potentially further afield.
We know that every family’s experience is different and we want to share as many as possible. By sharing your story, you’ll be helping to inform, comfort, and inspire everyone who comes into contact with Tiny Lives.
New parents on the Ward find great reassurance in reading about other families who have also been through this difficult experience.
If you’d like to share your story, you can do so using this form. We may be in touch for further details if needed to publish your story.
Thank you!
This class is no longer open for bookings. If you would be interested in a Daddy and Me Baby Yoga class in the future, please let us know!
Father’s Day is almost here and we want to celebrate all of our amazing Ward 35 Dads! We’ve arranged a special, free Online Baby Yoga session with our friends at Kalmababy on Saturday 19th June 2021, taking place 10.00am -11.00am.
This interactive class is open exclusively to Ward 35 parents and is designed to help Dad and baby enjoy some fun bonding time. The class is suitable for babies ages 6 weeks (corrected) to those sitting unaided.
Although designed for Dads, Mams and partners are more than welcome to take part too.
Once you sign up, you’ll receive a Zoom link via email ahead of the class, which you’ll use to join.
Are you a Mam who has previously spent time on the RVI Neonatal Unit? Would you like to be able to offer support to other Mams experiencing a neonatal journey? If so, you could be just who we are looking for!
We recruit Peer Support Volunteers for Tiny Lives throughout the year. Peer support can make a huge difference to families who spend time in neonatal care. Tiny Lives Peer supporters will offer informal 1:1 help and support to Mams who are on Ward 35 and when discharged home.
Volunteers will work across a range of projects and support Peer Support activities taking place both on and off the unit (such as Stay and Play). Volunteers would be expected to be able to commit a minimum of 2 hours a week.
If you’re interested and fulfil the below criteria, we would love to hear from you:
- You are a Ward 35 Mam who has been discharged from the Neonatal Unit for at least 1 year.
- You are good listener and communicator.
- You can actively listen and respond without judgment.
- You have a willingness to support people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures.
- You are reliable, dependable and flexible.
- You have experience of using email and social media, with access to both.
Full training will be provided via Tiny Lives and the NuTH Trust Volunteering Team, and all volunteers must undergo an enhanced DBS check. Whilst this is not a paid position, volunteers can claim reasonable out of pocket expenses.
Any queries regarding Peer Support should be sent to jacqui@tinylives.org.uk.
You can complete this form to apply.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The Tiny Lives Family Survey is one of our largest surveys of Ward 35 families, and allows us to get vital feedback from those who have been through the neonatal experience themselves.
By sharing your thoughts with us, you’ll be helping to shape the future of Tiny Lives. We use results from the Family Survey to:
- Help us understand the impact of what we currently fund for families.
- Identify areas that could be improved.
- Plan new services, projects and equipment that may help future neonatal families both on Ward 35 and once home
The survey should take around 30 minutes. We know that you’re busy, but if you could take the time to complete this survey we would be very grateful.
Click here to take the survey.
Earth Day is marked on 22nd April each year to highlight the precious nature of the planet and our natural resources, and to open up discussion as to how we can all be more environmentally-friendly in our daily lives. Tiny Lives is passionate about continually reducing our impact on the environment:
Recently, we have…
- Ensured all of our new collection tubs are made from recycled materials (the latest ones are made from recycled milk and juice cartons!).
- We have sourced promotional pens that are made from natural plastic (from plants, not oil!).
- We have stopped using balloons in our fundraising packs and at events.
- We are working to reduce our paper usage and have moved some of our most frequently used paper forms online, such as our Fundraising Registration Forms.
You can also be a more environmentally-friendly fundraiser! When planning your next event, consider:
- Promoting your event digitally – Advertising via email and on social media reduces paper waste from posters and flyers
- Using digital fundraising channels – Raising funds on Enthuse or Just Giving is not only convenient, it reduces paper use from printed sponsorship forms.
- Reducing your single-use plastic – If you’re selling cakes, consider using recyclable paper packaging to replace plastic bags, and skip the cellophane on your hamper!
- Having a clear-out – Giving second-hand clothes and toys a new lease of life by hosting a jumble sale or selling them on eBay for Tiny Lives is much kinder to the planet than letting them go to landfill.
- Spreading some greenery – For a really green fundraiser, why not consider selling flower bulbs, potted plants, home-grown veggies or seed packs for Tiny Lives? Not only will these bring a smile to someone’s face, they can be planted and bring greenery to your local area. For bonus points, choose some bee-friendly plants!
Got any more eco-friendly fundraising ideas or would like to suggest how Tiny Lives can further reduce our environmental impact? Get in touch and let us know!
We’re asking everyone to get involved in a new challenge, inspired by the amazing Captain Sir Tom and his incredible fundraising!
This new challenge, The Captain Tom 100 is open to all ages and abilities, and offers the chance to raise vital funds for Tiny Lives, while at the same time celebrating Captain Tom’s generosity of spirit, the hope and joy he brought to millions, and his sense of fun. It’s the perfect opportunity to involve the whole family in some fundraising!
It’s easy to take part, you just need to come up with a challenge based around the number 100, and complete it between Friday 30th April (what would have been Captain Sir Tom Moore’s 101st birthday) and Monday 3rd May.
(We appreciate that some challenges, such as running or cycling challenges, may not be able to be completed across just these few days, so supporters are more than welcome to complete their challenge across the month of April, with the deadline being Monday 3rd May.)
Need some Inspiration? You could…
- Bike 100km throughout April
- Make 100 cupcakes and hold a socially-distanced bake sale
- Eat 100 Marshmallows in one go
- Or, as Captain Tom did, do 100 laps of your garden
How to get involved…
- Once you’ve picked your fundraising challenge, set up a fundraising page to collect donations. We’d recommend Virgin Money Giving or Just Giving for this challenge.
- Spread the word! Tell your friends and family, tell your colleagues, tell everyone! Let us know your challenge, and we can help you promote it too. After all, the more people who know about your #CaptainTom100 challenge, the more donations you might get…
- Share your story, pics and fundraising page on social media using #CaptainTom100.
We are so grateful to have the opportunity as a small North East charity to get involved in this amazing initiative, and we know our supporters will do us proud!
If you’d like any advice on your challenge, or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Thank you!
Spring into action this April! Join the Great Run Solo April Accumulator and raise funds for Tiny Lives.
The Easter egg themed challenge is to achieve the ‘sweet 16’ – complete 16 (or more) runs or walks in April and you’ll be rewarded with a cracking medal!
Entry is £15.00, which includes a unique finishers medal and access to an online tracking tool. Depending on the distance you cover over the month, you will be awarded with a bespoke digital finishers certificate to download and share. Inspired by this month’s theme, the distance awards are truly eggs-cellent!
- IT’S A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT – 26.2 MILES
- YOU’RE A GOOD EGG – 50 MILES
- SPRING CHICKEN – 75 MILES
- GOLDEN EGG – 125 MILES
Plus, there is a separate April challenge for junior runners aged 14 years and under, so the whole family can get involved! The Spring Chicks challenge is for ages 9 & under, and The Good Eggs challenge is for ages 10 to 14 years. Entry for the junior challenges is £10.00, which includes a unique finishers medal and access to downloadable activity sheets.
The challenge starts on 1 April and finishes on 30 April, making it the perfect run buddy to keep you moving through the month. You can join anytime from now until Monday 12 April at 10am, when entries close.
Don’t be an April Fool, make sure you get signed up to this month’s challenge in order to receive an egg-stra special medal! Find out more and enter here: https://www.greatrun.org/virtual-running/april-accumulator-challenge/
Once you’ve signed up, remember to set up a fundraising page for Tiny Lives on Just Giving or Enthuse, and spread the word amongst your friends and family.
Happy running!
Our Easter Quiz is now SOLD OUT. Thank you so much to everyone who booked a slot – we’ll see you soon!
Join us for a fun-filled evening for all the family as we host an online Easter Quiz! It will take place on Saturday 10th April, 5pm – 6pm and every family who takes part will receive a special Easter Box*, kindly donated by our friends at Ubisoft CRC, containing:
- A Ubisoft Rabbids facemask
- Crayons
- An Easter animal mask
- An Easter themed balloon head
- Chocolate treats & foil eggs
- A healthy treat
- A basket weaving kit
- A hanging egg decoration
- Easter stickers
- A small puzzle book.
To enter, we ask for a small donation (£5 suggested), although anything you can give would be so gratefully received, and will help us to support families on Ward 35. It’s sure to be egg-cellent fun!
*Boxes recommended suitable for ages 2 – 8yrs.
