Pupils and staff at Waterhead Academy in Oldham have pledged their support to local NHS charity NorthCare, fundraising for Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.
The students chose to focus their fundraising on the Neonatal Department at Royal Oldham Hospital, donating chocolates to staff to thank them for their hard work and commitment. They fundraised across the school, creating projects that focus on mental health and impact, including creating a video.
Neil Wilson, Assistant Headteacher, also completed a 10k run to raise money for the Neonatal service. Pupils were inspired to support the department after Neil’s son, James, spent five weeks in Neonatal Intensive Care following his premature birth in 2016.
“Our students have a real drive and determination to support
charities within our local and wider communities and we look forward to working collaboratively with the NorthCare Charity team to further support the Neonatal service at Royal Oldham Hospital in the near future.”
Yvonne Fletcher, Lead Nurse for Neonates at Royal Oldham Hospital, said: “We would like to express huge thanks to Waterhead Academy for their massive efforts in raising funds for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The hamper that was provided for the team was very much appreciated and boosted staff morale especially on the back of the pandemic which has been a huge challenge for all within the NHS sector.
“We would like to wish all the students and teachers all the best for the future goals to supporting services like ours, to benefit staff and patients alike.”
“We are absolutely delighted to support Waterhead Academy with their fundraising”, said Becky Swithenbank, Fundraising Officer at NorthCare Charity.
“The students have shown a huge amount of passion and dedication, and it’s inspiring to see a new generation of fundraisers make a real difference to the morale of our staff. After a challenging time working through the pandemic, these acts of appreciation are always well-received.
“We’re always looking to make links with budding fundraisers in Oldham, Bury, Salford and Rochdale, and anyone with a fundraising idea is welcome to get in touch with us so we can support them to make it a reality.”
More information on NorthCare Charity can be found by emailing northcarecharity@nca.nhs.uk.