Sky-high fundraiser for young patients

Eight staff members from the Children’s Ward at New Cross Hospital took the plunge from 13,000 feet at Whitchurch Airfield, with most completing the jump on June 14 and two members following this October due to weather conditions, meaning their original jump was cancelled.

The idea for the daring challenge came from Staff Nurse Catherine Owen, who made the event even more memorable by celebrating her birthday on one of the jump days. The team, whose total stands at £5,835, is working with Your RWTC, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust’s charity, to raise funds to help it go above and beyond what the NHS provides to improve patient experience.

Sophie Ruskowski, Junior Sister, said, “None of us had ever done anything like this before, so there were nerves on the day! But the whole experience was amazing, and knowing we were doing it to raise funds for our young patients kept us motivated.

“We’re absolutely thrilled with the amount we’ve raised and want to thank everyone who donated. The support has been overwhelming.”

The skydive was just the start of a year of fundraising challenges for the team, which has also committed to taking part in a Wolverhampton 10k race, Great Birmingham Run, Wolf Run, Inflatable 2.5k, and the Wolverhampton Half Marathon later in the year.

Amie Rogers, Fundraising & Lead Digital Engagement Officer for Your RWTC, said: “A huge congratulations to the Paediatric team for completing this incredible challenge and raising an incredible £5,795 in support of young patients and their families.

“Their dedication and enthusiasm are inspiring, and the money raised will make a huge difference in improving the experience of young patients and their families when visiting the ward.”

People can still support their challenge by donating via their JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/team/childrensrwt