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A new weekly lottery which supports the work of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity will begin this week with the chance to win a weekly £25,000 jackpot.

The Hospitals Charity raises vital funds to support the N&N Hospital, Cromer & District Hospital and the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital.

For every £1 entry, at least 50p comes directly to the N&N Hospitals Charity to help us improve the hospital environment, purchase the very latest in state-of-the-art equipment, support staff welfare and provide extra care over and above what is currently provided by the NHS.

When someone joins the hospital lottery a unique six-digit lottery number is allocated. A random winning number is drawn every Friday with the aim to match the winning numbers. A match occurs if your digits are in the same place in the same sequence as the winning number

To win a prize, you need to match three, four, five or six digits of the winning numbers in the correct sequence. Match all six-digits in sequence and you’ll win the weekly £25,000 jackpot with £1,000 for 5 matching digits and £25 for four digits.

John Paul Garside, Director of the N&N Hospitals Charity, said, “The funding from the charity lottery will help us to improve patient and staff experience, helping to fund equipment and support staff welfare above and beyond our normal NHS funding. By supporting the lottery you will help make a difference to your local hospital, its patients and staff.

“Everyone over the age of 18 can enter and you do not have to be a staff member, so feel free to spread the word among family and friends and share help us support the work of the Hospital Charity.”

To join the lottery, go to https://nnuhcharitylottery.org.uk/ or call 0370 050 9240

Notes for Editors

The N&N Hospitals Lottery is administered by Sterling Management Centre Limited (“Sterling”) Drydale House, Newton-in-Furness, Cumbria LA13 0NB acting for the Charity under a Society Lottery licence.

The recently installed giant illuminated rainbow on Chantry Square will be used to help to raise awareness and funds for The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, part of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals (NNUH) NHS Foundation Trust, Chantry Place has announced.

Paul McCarthy, General Manager at Chantry Place, said: “We all celebrate and are in awe of our NHS heroes and the rainbow has served as a beacon of hope over the last year. So we wanted to tie its arrival into a fundraising initiative to support the incredible work of the NNUH, as well as celebrate key workers and pay tribute to those who have lost a loved one to Covid. We are also continuing to offer free parking to NHS workers to thank them for everything they are doing.”

The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital is a major centre for specialist paediatric services in the East of England, providing acute specialist care and supporting babies, children and young people and their families.

Head of Fundraising at NNUH, Louise Cook, said: “We are delighted that Chantry Place has chosen to support the N&N Hospitals Charity and the money raised will go towards our marvellous Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, which helps so many babies, children, young people and their families across Norfolk.”

Lucy Weavers, Nurse Director for the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital added: “I hope that the Rainbow makes everyone smile and encourages people to give a little to support their local Children’s Hospital.”

Chantry Place is currently open for essential shops, delivery, takeaway and Click & Collect services, with non-essential retailers and outdoor seating at restaurants on Chantry Square planning to reopen on Monday 12^th April 2021.

The rainbow, recognised as a symbol of hope and of better times to come, lights up and can change colour, and is a new outdoor feature on the Square. People can donate at the 5.8 metre wide by 2.4 metre high rainbow using a QR code.

Visitors to the rainbow are encouraged to use #ChantryPlaceRainbow when sharing photos of the rainbow on Instagram.

People can also donate to The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital by going to https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/jennylindchildrenshospital

For more information on Chantry Place visit www.ChantryPlace.co.uk or follow chantryplacenorwich on social media.

Notes to Editors:

 Chantry Place

Chantry Place is home to over 90 fantastic shops, cafés and restaurants, including Apple, Zara and House of Fraser, and offers an unrivalled retail and dining experience in Norwich. With national, international and homegrown brands, an Escape Hunt experience and convenient, city centre parking, Chantry Place has everything under one roof and is the perfect destination to shop, meet, dine and enjoy.

Artist impressions of the new waiting area and reception for people attending the NNUH breast cancer unit have been revealed by the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity, which is supporting the project.

The new unit is continuing to take shape with all the necessary equipment now in place, funded by donations to the N&N Hospitals Charity’s Boudicca Appeal.

Detailed consultations have taken place with patients and staff to find out what is needed for the environment and once these areas are completed, work will begin on the counselling rooms for patients.

The current breast cancer unit handles all referrals of suspected breast cancer from GPs – a number which has almost doubled in recent years. It is where patients undergo the range of procedures that determine if a lump is cancerous and, if so, where their treatment plan begins.

The Boudicca Breast Cancer appeal has so far raised £450,000 to fund the new equipment.

Donations have already been used to purchase a Stereotactic mammography system which uses low-dose x-rays to help locate a breast abnormality and remove a tissue and is less invasive than surgical biopsy. A Hologic LOCalizer guidance system is also being used so that very small breast cancers can be more accurately and less invasively identified during diagnosis and surgery, improving the patient’s experience and further reducing the need for multiple visits to hospital.

Dr Arne Juette, Consultant Radiologist and Director of Breast Screening at the Trust, said: “The next stage of the breast cancer unit will see us invest in enhancing the environment for patients and staff at the unit. Having all these improvements to the expanded breast unit will give patients a more holistic experience in a soothing environment. The unit will have rooms designed for individual patient use, quiet rooms for privacy and dignity. Extra space will allow for continued improvements to the support we offer patients.”

Like many charities, the Covid-19 pandemic has severely restricted fundraising in the normal way, so the N&N Hospitals Charity has used existing funds to get the second part of the work on the unit under way.

However, the charity is still actively fundraising to complete the project and if you would like to support the appeal please go to our website and find out how you can help https://nnuh.enthuse.com/cf/boudicca-appeal

For more information www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk #NNUHCharity @NNUHCharity1

Two NNUH staff members have raised more than £2,750 for the Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Charity by shaving their hair off.

Senior Operating Department Practitioner Kate Didwell and Operating Department Practitioner Hannah Hembry-Pearson made the dramatic April Fool’s Day cut in support of the Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal.

 Kate and Hannah work in the plastic reconstructive theatres where their work supports reconstructive procedures for patients following breast cancer. 

 Hannah said: “During the current wave of Covid-19 redeployment, our team has been dispersed. We want to do this to not only reunite our team but to do something for our patients and what we are passionate about doing.

 “We wanted to recognise our patients’ bravery and recovery by fundraising and doing something for the greater good – it is not only inspiring ourselves but also those we work with.

 The Boudicca Appeal has already raised more than £450,000 of an £800,000 to create a new, dedicated breast cancer unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Funds already raised have been used to purchase equipment and the next phase will be to create a new waiting area and reception for patients.

 Kate and Hannah have already raised £2,780 and you can still make a donation at their JustGiving page.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kate-hannahplasticstheatres

For more information about the N&N Hospitals Charity and the Boudicca Breast Cancer Appeal, go to www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

As the second oldest children’s hospital in the country Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital celebrates its 167th birthday on 3 April during what promises to be a special year for the hospital.

This year will see £6.5m invested in the first phase of a new three-theatre complex to meet the demand of treating the county’s youngest patients now and in the future.

Work on the new unit at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital has already started with the first phase seeing the creation of a twin paediatric theatre suite, a six-bay recovery unit and other associated works.

Designs for an improved Critical Care area within our Children’s Hospital are also being developed, with hopes to see work commence later this year.

The hospital cares for thousands of children each year, from the smallest babies in our NICU through to young people up to the age of 16, and older in some cases.

The charity is hugely grateful for the support of our fundraisers whose donations make a huge difference to the work we can do to enhance the support, care and treatment of our young patients and their families.

Just recently, the charity received almost £14,000 from Simon Kindleysides who raised money walking with his exoskeleton suit during the latest lockdown.

Despite being disabled, Simon walked 8,000 steps each day of February, through snow, rain, hail and sunshine and featured on national and international media.

NNUH Biomedical Support Worker and baker extraordinaire Reece Durrant has baked some fantastic cakes to celebrate Jenny Lind Day along with a video showing exactly how to recreate the celebration cakes.

And Serco Healthcare baked scones for some of our staff in the children’s hospital distributed by Senior Matron Emma Chapman (pictured below).

In today’s hospital, Buxton Ward treats over 3,500 young inpatients each year with a further 1,000 babies cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Staff on the Children’s Emergency Department care for in access of 24,000 children each year while around 48,000 children attend outpatient appointments.

Laura Schaffer, Divisional Operations Director for Women and Children, said: “This is a hugely exciting year for the Jenny Lind as we embark on our exciting expansion project. We hope you will all support us as we transform our environment for children and young people.

You can support the work of the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital by making a donation directly https://nnuh.enthuse.com/cf/jenny-lind-children-s-hospital

For more information about the work of the N&N Hospitals Charity, go to www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

Notes for editors: The Norwich infirmary for sick children admitted its first inpatients on 3 April 1854, two years after London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, and is the second oldest children’s hospital in the country.

The children’s hospital was created thanks to the generosity of Jenny Lind, dubbed the Swedish Nightingale, who was one of the best known and most popular entertainers in mid-19th century Europe.

In 1847 she gave her first concerts in Norwich and they proved so popular that a third concert was arranged with proceeds going to open an infirmary for sick children.

One of the N&N Hospitals Charity’s oldest fundraisers, who raised almost £4,000 during the first national lockdown, has sadly died.

Army Veteran Brian Garrad, 97, had been due to take part in VE Day celebrations at Buckingham Palace last May before they were cancelled as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The three-day celebration should have seen a parade through the capital, a flyover, afternoon tea at the Palace, followed by dinner with the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

However, instead, Mr Garrad took on his own challenge, walking around his garden in a bid to cover 10 miles in a month – 70 laps. Despite, having COPD, Mr Garrad celebrated VE Day doing more laps with his family and taking part in their own mini-parade.

The Hospital Charity Fundraising Team said: “We were deeply saddened to hear that Mr Garrad had passed away. He was a true inspiration to us all and we have such lovely memories of his fundraising efforts and his fantastic VE Day celebrations at home. The money he raised is making a huge difference to our hospital and our thoughts are with all his family and friends.”

Mr Garrad served with the 120th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment during the Second World War, an air defence unit of the British Army’s Royal Artillery and spent the majority of that time in France, often driving ammunition to the frontline.

 Mr Garrad’s daughter, Ruth Dockerty, said: “He was an amazing dad, always looking for a new adventure. He had so many interests including London buses – he ended up owning one – steam trains, gardening , music and Norwich City Football Club. His happiest days were spent at the beach, particularly Walcott.

“He lived for his family and, even though he had many tragedies in his life, he always kept us positive and his faith in the church saw him through.”

 “We’d like to thank all the nurses and doctors on Dilham Ward who were fabulous to him and us, and David and Lorna from the palliative care team who kept his spirits going by trying to get him home.”

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Chapel has taken delivery of disposable prayer mats for use by Muslim staff.

Throughout the last year the chaplaincy has been researching ways to enable all faiths to worship safely in this difficult time at the hospital and have opened up the chapel as a shared prayer space to manage social distance and to give everyone a place to worship or undertake quiet time.

The hospital’s chaplains have been active on wards supporting both patients and staff, wearing the appropriate PPE to ensure that they stay safe. In addition the hospital community has been able to speak to a virtual chaplain face to face and also help connect patients to their faith representatives by phone or iPad.

Adrian Woodbridge, Lead Chaplain for the Trust, said: “We wanted to enable our Muslim colleagues to continue worshipping in a safe protected environment during the pandemic and we are grateful for the N&N Hospitals Charity for supporting this initiative.”

Mercy Kaggwa, Fundraising Co-ordinator, added: “As a fundraiser for the N&N Hospitals Charity I am proud that we are able to support staff welfare in this way. As the Co-Chair of the BAME Staff Network, I am delighted that our hospitals charity along with the Trust recognises the importance of the varying faiths practised across our workforce. By enabling the disposable prayer mats to be funded it ensures that personal, spiritual, religious and cultural wellbeing is fulfilled in our diverse workplace and that during these difficult times, our health and safety continues to be of paramount importance.”

To find out more about the charity visit www.nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

The children from Hellesdon Pre-School in Norwich have raised £279.50 for the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital thanks to their World Book Day celebrations.

Inspired by Captain Tom Moore’s book about his life, the youngsters enjoyed a 1940s day, during which staff dressed up in clothes from the era and children came to school as evacuees.

Pre-School Manager Alison Roberts-Jones said: “We wanted to say thank you to our lovely parents that work for the NHS and are critical workers.

“It was a lovely day with afternoon tea and dancing to the Andrew sisters. Children got to witness a staff member challenged to have her feet in baked beans to raise money for the doctors and nurses. Then the children were challenged to complete sponsorships too for silly events. Parents generously donated today too bless them.”

Staff from the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital made a special thank you video for all the staff, children and parents for raising first £195.25 and then an additional donation of £84.25.

For details about supporting the Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital, part of the N&N Hospitals Charity, go to https://nnhospitalscharity.org.uk

The N&N Hospitals Charity has joined forces with another charity to provide a touch of kindness and comfort to cancer patients being treated at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Ailsa’s Aim contacted the N&N Hospitals Charity last year with the aim of delivering essential care bags filled with some little personal comforts.

Just before Christmas, the first 100-plus bags were delivered by Ailsa’s Aim founder Sara Whatley, and distributed by the Hospital Charity to cancer patients via their clinical teams. Another delivery was made this week along with 250 activity books for patients.

The bags include items such as a water bottle, toothbrush and toothpaste, lip balm, mouthwash and a luxury item, for example hand cream, eye cream or a puzzle book.

Sara said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer our essential care packs to patients at NNUH.

“We could not do these things without the support of our excellent fundraising team and the generous donations from the public, so we are always so grateful and humbled to have the support we do and to be able to bring a little ray of sunshine into people’s lives.

“We look forward to supporting NNUH and their patients on an ongoing basis.”

Lynn Crombie, from the N&N Hospitals Charity, said: “Being in hospital and receiving treatment can be hugely difficult for our patients so it’s nice to be able to give them a little something to try and make things easier and more comfortable.

“We are so grateful to Ailsa’s Aim for thinking of our patients.”

The N&N Hospitals Charity raises money to support patients, their families and staff at the N&N Hospital, Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital and Cromer Hospital.

Money raised helps to provide life-saving and ground-breaking equipment, staff development, research, and enhanced environment and facilities at the Trust.

For more information about Ailsa’s Aim, go to http://www.ailsasaim.co.uk

For details about the N&N Hospitals Charity, go to https://nnhospitalscharity.org.uk