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What We Do

We support and champion premature and sick newborn babies and their families, at the Newcastle Neonatal Service and across the North East and North Cumbria.

Tiny Lives recognises that having a sick or premature newborn baby can be the most difficult of times. This journey is different for everyone. For some, it may start before or during pregnancy, and for others it may continue long after discharge.

We offer practical and emotional support to families who spend time at Newcastle Neonatal Service, helping to make the neonatal experience a little easier and more comfortable for babies and their families, both while on the neonatal unit and when home.

We work closely with NHS colleagues to make sure our support puts families at the centre of their babies’ care. We aim to support more families from across the North East and North Cumbria over the next five years, and we want to champion the needs of premature and sick newborn babies and their families to help ensure other services understand the needs of neonatal families. You can read more about our plans here.

You can find more information about our current funded items and services below. The list is constantly growing, and we are always open to suggestions from parents and supporters as to how we can help even further.

What We Fund

From Miniboo Comforters to Specialised Parent and Baby Classes, this is what we do to help at each stage of your Neonatal Journey.

Upon Admission

We get it. When you’re admitted to the neonatal unit you might be overwhelmed, but we are always there to help.

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On the Ward

Whether you’re on the neonatal unit for hours, days or months, Tiny Lives offers a range of support to help you and your baby.

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Discharge and Beyond

Your Tiny Lives support doesn’t end once your hospital stay does. We’re here to support you in this exciting next step.

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Bereavement Support

Sadly, some babies don’t make it home. If you’ve lost a little one, we are here for you.

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Our impact 2023 – 2024

Tiny Lives Funded Staff Posts

Tiny Lives works with external partners, including the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundations Trust and Newcastle City Council, to fund or part-fund specialist staff positions on the RVI Neonatal Unit. This ensures that babies and families on the unit can receive an extra-special level of care and support.

Our current funded or part-funded staff posts include:

Neonatal Physiotherapist
Family Support Social Workers
Clinical Psychologist

We also previously funded or part-funded staff posts including:

We support Neonatal Unit Staff

It’s not just the families who benefit from the support offered by Tiny Lives. Neonatal Unit staff can also apply for funding for a variety of uses, including: funds for specialised training courses, travel and accommodation for courses, or materials that may help their department (such as craft materials or books). Access to these additional resources helps to ensure the best possible care for neonatal babies and families.

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We Support Neonatal Families

We support our Neonatal families from the beginning of their journey and beyond. Afrujahan and Katie discuss their experiences of having a baby on the RVI’s Neonatal Unit and how Tiny Lives supported them.

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We Fund Research

We also fund a lot of ‘behind-the-scenes’ items and vital research projects to help improve future neonatal care. These can be ground-breaking lung studies, trials of specialist unit positions or aiding with awareness days to highlight the vital role of the neonatal unit.

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Recently Funded Projects

These are a small section of recent projects that Tiny Lives has funded or helped to fund. Swipe through to find out more!

RVI Neonatal Unit Refurbishment

Tiny Lives is proud to announce that we have funded a remarkable £50,000 transformation of the Neonatal Unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary. What was once a space has now been transformed into a nurturing and comforting environment, designed to enhance the overall atmosphere, wellbeing and comfort of families with their premature or sick newborn baby.
Parent Packs

We fund Parent Packs for parents upon admission to the Unit. Each family receives one pack, which is full of useful bits and pieces to help make the initial transition to the Neonatal Unit a little easier, including:

– 2 Reusable Coffee Cups

– A ‘Tiny Lives, Big Memories’ memory book

– Hand cream, lip balm and tissues

– A notebook and pen
vCreate Video Messaging

We fund the innovative vCreate Video Messaging service on the Neonatal Unit, which allows for staff to share videos of babies with their parents, allowing them to bond even when they can’t physically be together and helping to alleviate separation anxiety. We also supplied Ipads and accessories to the Unit to facilitate this system.
Breast Feeding Room Refurbishment

We partially-funded the refurbishment of the Breast Feeding Room on Ward 35, in partnership with a donation from a local business. The room is a cosy, friendly space for Mams to express and receive advice on feeding.