Insight Corporate Newsletter
Welcome from the Corporate Team
Welcome to our third issue of Insight! First of all, we want to thank our incredible partners for their support in 2024 – we were blown away by the effort and passion we saw for Alder Hey – you truly are amazing, and we are so grateful to you all!
A special mention must go to the staff in Matalan stores, offices and distribution centres from all corners of the UK. Thank you to each and every one of you who worked so hard to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds during the year. From dressing up and tea trolley dashes to tombolas and bake sales, we really are overwhelmed by the dedication you’ve shown to Alder Hey whilst having fun! We’ve got so many great partnerships to celebrate, including the incredible team at Skiddle who have reached £100,000, Casa Italia whose customers have been wonderful supporting their donation
on the bill fundraising and Liverpool Airport who ran a successful Plane Pull event. We would also like to say a big thank you to our friends at Braithwaite Group who continue to generously sponsor our Dragon Boat Festival and Golf Day, helping us to raise over £120,000 last year!
We finished the year on a high at our Christmas Light Switch On. We were delighted to be able to show our 2024 Christmas sponsors how their donation brings a smile, and lots of magic, to everyone at Alder Hey at this special time of year.
In exciting team news, we congratulate Becky who welcomed a baby boy earlier this year and welcome Hannah Nguyen, who joins us as our Corporate Partnerships Assistant.
We have already had a fantastic start to 2025 with our annual Bag Ladies and Dragon Boat Festival events, and we look forward to what is to come!
MediCinema is now open!
We are proud to have officially opened our new MediCinema! We opened our doors in November, with an exclusive premiere of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana 2, ahead of the Leicester Square premiere later in the day.
To celebrate the opening of the MediCinema, children received a special recorded message from the cast before the film started and were greeted by Moana ahead of the showing. After an arts and craft session in the new space, patients and their families were welcomed into the MediCinema opening by Nathan Askew, Chief Nursing Officer at Alder Hey. After the film finished, patients were given gift bags as a lovely memento of their day.
Construction of the MediCinema has been generously funded by: The Julia Rausing Trust, Kentown Wizard Foundation, The Walt Disney Company, Skiddle Ltd, Members of the Institute of Travel and Tourism and smaller funders. The ongoing running costs of the MediCinema are funded by donations to Alder Hey Children’s Charity.
Volunteering at Alder Hey's brand new MediCinema is something that I'm delighted to be involved in. I love going to the cinema, so being part of that experience for the children and young people at Alder Hey, who may not be getting the same opportunities and experiences as other children, felt like such a privilege. Seeing the excitement on the faces of children as they enter the cinema was really special. After a screening of Paddington in Peru, one little boy told me that he loved the new cinema so much he completely forgot he was in a hospital.
Sam May, MediCinema volunteer at Alder Hey
This state-of-the-art cinema is a partnership between the charity MediCinema, Alder Hey Children’s Charity and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. It is the only cinema at a standalone paediatric hospital in the UK and the first in a hospital in the North West of England.
The specially designed cinema, which can accommodate 34 people, allows the children to attend the screening in their beds or wheelchairs, accompanied by their families and a nursing team. This allows them to enjoy the latest films like many cinemagoers while still receiving any care they need.
Everyone at MediCinema and Alder Hey is so excited, and it's a privilege for me to develop a wonderful team of nurses and volunteers to launch our new MediCinema service. It is going to be transformative in delivering a fantastic new patient experience, and the first of its kind in a paediatric NHS Trust. Alongside our regular inpatient screenings, plans are well underway for tailored programmes for children, young people and families who access services including CAMHS, outpatient groups, and providing bespoke services within palliative care. Extending access to our MediCinema to those supported by our bereavement service - the Alder Centre - and providing opportunities to boost staff wellbeing, makes this a truly amazing service for everyone at Alder Hey.
Laura Smith, Alder Hey MediCinema Manager
Spotlight: Matalan Magic!
December marked an incredible month of fundraising by Matalan. Throughout the month colleagues from across the country in Matalan stores, distribution centres and support hub came together to raise an incredible £120,000 for Alder Hey Children’s Charity.
Partners for over 10 years, Matalan and Alder Hey Children’s Charity first launched their annual must-have product campaign in 2014 with the popular alphabet scarves collaboration. In recent years, their family pyjamas have become a Christmas tradition for households nationwide.
From Liverpool to Luton, Workington to Waterlooville, Blackpool to Belfast, and Exeter to Edinburgh, store teams hosted bake sales, encouraged customers to donate at the checkout, and got creative with fundraisers like the Colchester store’s ‘Name the Gonk’ event. Other teams organised festive lunches, tea trolley dashes, tombolas, and much more. The campaign not only aimed to FUNdraise but also to raise awareness of the vital
Matalan colleagues with their in-store fundraising
work Matalan supports with at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
One of the projects that Matalan supports is Alder Hey’s Nurse and Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) led research program. Research led by nurses and AHPs can improve the clinical outcomes, safety and quality of experience for patients, ensuring a healthier, happier and fairer future for children and young people.
This passion and sense of togetherness from colleagues across Matalan was on display
earlier in the year with the launch of their ‘Step up for Olivia’ campaign. This fundraising campaign was created in recognition of the support Alder Hey has provided one of their colleagues, Daniel Butler and his family following his daughter’s diagnosis in 2023. With thanks to Matalan’s incredible customers, suppliers, and staff, over £150,000 was raised in just three weeks to enhance facilities on Alder Hey’s oncology ward.
A massive thank you to everyone at Matalan as well their customers and partners!
Alder Hey is a special place where fun, resilience and positivity shine through every day. We do what we do to ensure all children and young people can have a healthier, happier and fairer future – and we couldn’t do it without partners like Matalan at our side. With the support of Matalan they are helping us shape the future now. Thank you for everything you’ve doneand continue to do – for us!
Fiona Ashcroft, CEO, Alder Hey Children's Charity
I am thrilled to see our partnership with Alder Hey flourish into its second decade, what a milestone! And there’s still so much to come. A huge thank you to our Matalan colleagues and customers up and down the country who passionately help raise contributions, plus the children, their families and staff at Alder Hey. Our connection into the hospital is so valuable to us – from the education Alder Hey supplies to our colleagues and customers to the collaboration in launching specific products within our stores to support children. The work the hospital does is incredible, and we’re so proud to be a partner. Bring on 2025!
Katherine Davis, Chief Retail Officer, Matalan
Thank you to our Christmas Sponsors
At Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Christmas is a very special time of year. Thanks to the generosity of our Corporate Christmas Sponsors, we’re able to transform the hospital and create magical moments for our children, families and staff during what can be a very challenging time.
Our annual Christmas light switch-on kicks off the festive period and brings the whole Alder Hey community together in our atrium – often called the beating heart of Alder Hey. Last year, our wonderful patients and their families, staff, volunteers and invited guests were treated to heartwarming performances from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Knotty Ash Primary School Signing Choir, musical theatre youth group 20 Stories, and local singer Bethany Webster.
What a fantastic event.
A big thank you to all our partners who made today possible. I’m incredibly proud of our staff who have once again have gone above and beyond to ensure that the festive period at Alder Hey is special for all the children and young people who attend Alder Hey regularly or may not be able to go home during this time.
Chief Executive Officer, John Grinnell
The Guide Liverpool presenters, Jay Hynd and Gemma Cutting, hosted the event and introduced us to 8-year-old George and his family. Alder Hey patient George, an incredible little boy born with a rare heart condition, did the honour of switching on our Christmas lights.
This event would not have been possible without the incredible support of our partners. A heartfelt thank you to Alder Hey SPV, Flex, Axis Entrances, Certas Energy and Cavendish Rentals, who helped fund our amazing Gingerbread-themed decorations and lights throughout the hospital.
From the twinkle of our Christmas tree and ward decorations to the excitement of Santa’s grotto, our corporate partners help to create lasting magical memories for the brave children and young people who visit or stay at Alder Hey during Christmastime. Last year, we debuted our first ever ‘Winter Walkway’ to recognise those who help to bring Christmas to life at Alder Hey.
Our atrium filled with queues of children and their families, patiently waiting for their turn to visit our resident Father Christmas who was housed in our spectacular Gingerbread themed grotto! A special thank you to Warwick Development North West who generously donated £4,500 towards our Grotto, making sure no child missed the magic of meeting Santa this year.
Christmas at Alder Hey is also a time to celebrate the extraordinary staff working across our hospital. Many of our team work throughout the festive period, and thanks to Horlicks we were able to show our appreciation with a Star Staff and Volunteer Christmas lunch.
Without the generous support and continued dedication of our Christmas Sponsors, we would not be able to create magical moments for the children and young people at Alder Hey.
If you would like to help us create Christmas magic at Alder Hey in 2025, please get in touch with Katy Armitage for information on our sponsorship packages:
katy.armitage@alderheycharity.org
Corporate Golf Day 2024
18th July, Formby Golf Club
An incredible day raising a fantastic £71,662 for Alder Hey!
Since our first back in 2021, we’ve seen the annual corporate Golf Day grow and 2024 surpassed our highest expectations!
We secured a top-drawer location at the renowned Formby Golf Club, and we worked closely with our Golf Day sponsors, Josh and Luke Braithwaite from Braithwaite Group to draw up a guest list.
Formby is a tough course, but this didn’t deter the 90 golfers we welcomed on the
day, representing over 30 different businesses from across the North West.
We kicked off the day with a trick show from PGA golfing legend David Edwards.
After 18 holes, our guests were suited and booted for a threecourse dinner.
We were then treated to stories and Q&A with LFC and England footballing legend John Barnes. John shared some brilliant stories from his time in the England
Sponsored by
team, and we’re so glad he could join us for the evening.
Our live auction was a big success, with a selection of prizes including four ball vouchers for the Royal Birkdale and Royal Liverpool Golf Clubs, hospitality tickets to The Grand National and Anfield stadium and many more.
Funds raised from this event will support multiple projects across the hospital, including ‘Turning Heads’. This printmaking project works with children as young as three years old who are experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy, providing them with an opportunity to design and create their own scarves and hats.
We can do even more invaluable work thanks to the £71,622 raised at our Golf Day.
A huge thank you to everyone who made this possible - our teams and hole sponsors, everyone who donated or bid on auction prizes and more! Our biggest thank you goes to our event sponsors and friends of the charity, Josh and Luke Braithwaite.
Your support means the world to us!
Alder Hey Children’s Charity has continued to grow over the past few years, and we’re so proud of the many ways we are able to support the brave young children at Alder Hey, from bringing magic to their time in hospital, to funding world-class equipment and innovative research.
A major part of that growth is down to the unwavering dedication we receive from our vast network of supporters. We host such a variety of amazing fundraising events each year, and year on year, you show up and dig deep to support us, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you to every one of you.
Our 2024 Golf Day was a great success, and we can’t wait for the next one!
Hayley Thomas, Head of Corporate Partnerships, Alder Hey Children’s Charity
Introducing 'Same Day Emergency Care'
After years of planning and development, Alder Hey will open a brand-new Same Day Emergency Care Centre (SDECC) in late 2025 - a major milestone in paediatric emergency care.
Bringing together world-class facilities and a transformative approach to emergency treatment and care, the new centre will allow healthcare professionals to refer children directly for scheduled appointments. This streamlined model prioritises same-day discharge whenever possible, ensuring children are seen by the right clinician, in the right place, at the right time — and that families can return home quickly and safely.
By reducing time spent in busy emergency departments, the centre will ease stress for both children and their families, while improving clinical outcomes through faster access to the care they need.
The SDECC will serve as an extension of the existing A&E Department and be
situated on the ground floor of a new building that will also house our new Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The integration of urgent and emergency care services will enable rapid assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, helping to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
The centre's design is inspired by Alder Hey's unique "hospital in a park" concept, incorporating nature-themed elements to create a calming atmosphere. Calming green and yellow hues, nature-themed artwork, and interactive play walls will keep children engaged and relaxed in the welcome and waiting areas.
As a recognised centre for excellence in paediatric emergency care, Alder Hey is extremely proud to have developed this innovative new same day emergency care model right here in our hospital. We are currently using temporary facilities to
Waiting and play area with comfortable seating, nature inspired artwork and enhanced design features
pilot this new approach and when our brandnew centre opens, we will transform the care experience of the children who turn to Alder Hey for support.
The innovative model will strengthen Alder Hey’s position as a leader in paediatric emergency care, and will support collaboration and knowledge-sharing with other NHS Trusts and healthcare partners.
If you would like to support our Same Day Emergency Care appeal, please contact Ellie Freestone: ellie.freestone@alderheycharity.org
Zac's story
Zac and his family were one of the first to access the same day emergency care pilot
As you can imagine it was quite a shock when the GP told us that Zac would have to go to Alder Hey and be seen by the doctors there. At that moment you don’t know what to think and the last thing you need is to sit in A&E for hours on end with an upset and distressed child.
Jane, Zac’s
mum
Zac has been one of the many young patients who have successfully accessed our same day emergency care pilot. He was referred directly to us as he had been feeling under the weather. After receiving tests, Zac was quickly diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Zac’s mum Jane described the impact that being able to access same day care had on their family:
Having a personal appointment slot is a wonderful feature, as our son was really upset and so being able to go straight through as well as the expert care and facilities on offer helped to calm him and us down and make sure that we quickly got the care he needed.
It really makes the world of difference and helps to make a stressful situation that little bit more manageable. Having access to a service like this helped to deal with the shock of a diagnosis when the whole family were already upset, so being able to be comfortable and receive quick and quality care was vital.
Spotlight: Black Capital Group
We shine a light on the incredible support we receive from one of our industry partners. This issue, we say thank you to: Black Capital Group.
At the end of December 2023, we were delighted to announce our partnership with Black Capital Group, who committed to raise £50,000 over four years to support vital research at Alder Hey. As part of the partnership, each company that sits within Black Capital Group (Procure Partnerships Framework, Compliance Chain, Advance Social Value and Strategic Resourcing) set out to deliver a series of fundraising efforts, events and challenges - and it’s safe to say they have certainly done that!
Supporting Alder Hey Children’s Charity has become an integral part of our business operations. It’s been inspiring to witness not only the efforts of the companies within Black Capital Group, but also the remarkable contributions from their supply chains and partners who have joined in this important cause.
Robbie Blackhurst, Founder and Director – Black Capital Group
Over the last 12 months we have seen colleagues take part in a 10k run through the Mersey Tunnel, hold office bake sales and host a five aside football tournament dedicated to the 2024 Euros. In September 2024, we even saw two colleagues, Faye Dolan, Framework Director at Procure Partnerships Framework, and Luke Spooner, Compliance Manager at Compliance Chain, raise £8,000 and take part in a challenging 10-day trek across Nepal all in aid of Alder Hey.
We were delighted to go on an adventure of a lifetime with Alder Hey Children’s Charity. The trek was fantastically organised, and we felt fully supported from beginning to end! We are thrilled to have been able to support the charity and the lifesaving work they do.
Faye Dolan, Framework Director at Procure Partnerships Framework
So far, Black Capital Group have raised an incredible £24,833, almost double their target for the year!
£24,833 raised so far!
All the money raised will now go towards crucial research into Hirschsprung’s Disease, a rare bowel condition that affects 1 in 3,500 babies per year, causing lifelong complications. This amazing funding will enable more long-term and complex research projects to be undertaken, helping to answer important questions and moving towards the improved therapies that are needed.
Thank you to everyone at Black Capital Group for their amazing support this year. We can’t wait to see what our next year in partnership will bring!
Micah’s story
Micah was born with a congenital condition called Hirschsprung’s disease. This is a rare bowel condition that affects roughly 1 in 5,000 children. This meant that whilst Micah was developing early in the womb, the nerves in his bowel stopped developing, which left him with a section of lower bowel that didn’t function.
As a result, Micah’s bowel became blocked shortly after his birth. He was transferred to Alder Hey’s neonatal unit and at just over 48 hours old he was taken to theatre to have the blockage removed and an ileostomy formed to enable his bowel to empty. An ileostomy is where the small bowel is diverted through an opening in the stomach.
him, as well as teaching the family all things ileostomy care and what to look out for with Micah's condition. At just 8 weeks old, Micah had the part of his bowel without nerves removed and joined back together.
Micah has been in and out of Alder Hey for numerous procedures and stays due to his condition, but now he’s a thriving three-yearold, with a birthday just around the corner!
Micah’s mum Kayleigh told Alder Hey Children’s Charity:
He is doing so well! He is a cheeky little chappy, he loves to eat and is OBSESSED with Toy Story! Micah’s in preschool now and is absolutely loving it. His Hirschsprung’s doesn’t stop him thriving!”
Micah and his family spent a further two weeks in the neonatal unit with a team of nurses caring for
Kayleigh added, “Alder Hey has become such a big part of our lives and we can't thank each member of staff enough for all they do for Micah and all the children and families that they care for. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful hospital on our doorstep!
Meet a Business Ambassador
Our Business Ambassadors represent a variety of sectors. They’re well connected in the business community, successful in what they do and Alder Hey holds a special place in their hearts for many different reasons. They offer valuable support and guidance to the team, are involved in ideas sessions to help drive us forward and have introduced us to many new contacts.
Hannah is Vice President of Digital Delivery Retail and EV at BP. Responsible for developing, deploying and maintaining digital products and IT systems across the retail and EV sites business globally.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
Focus on the fixing the bottom 20% as this will often solve 60% of your problems. Also much like the concept of marginal gains you are always driving forward.
This issue, we’d like you to meet our Business Ambassador Hannah Barnes!
What’s your background?
I trained as a physiotherapist and after I graduated I couldn't find a job so I applied to the graduate scheme at Tesco. I spent 10 years at Tesco in many roles managing retail operations. I moved to BP 5 years ago into a retail head office role, took a short stint as the Retail Ops Director for our UK business and then moved into an operational excellence role for Europe where I spent time managing costs, digital, customer service and retail ops development.
What do you think has been key to your success?
Investing time into my own and others development. Being self aware and committed to being better makes me a much more effective and empathetic leader which in turn makes me far better at helping others to succeed.
Where would you like to see Alder Hey
Children’s Charity in the future?
Continuing to grow its influence in the hospital, community and beyond through remaining committed to making lives better for children.
Your role must be very varied, what do you enjoy most about your job?
In my latest role I am faced with a different challenge every day whether that be an incident with a system, the delivery of a new feature to customers or building the digital strategy for the stores of the future. After the wonderful team I get to work with, I really enjoy the variety and the ability to spend time solving complex problems.
What 3 skills do you need to succeed in business?
Resilience, relentless customer focus and great people skills
What are the 3 words you would use to describe Alder Hey?
Inspiring, groundbreaking and amazing.
Hannah Barnes
Alder Hey and the Institute of Travel and Tourism –celebrating 10 years in partnership!
We were delighted to celebrate our 10th year of working together with the Institute of Travel and Tourism (ITT) in 2024 at their annual conference in Halkidiki, Greece.
Over the past 10 years, our mission to work together to give patients and their families support during their own, often difficult, journeys has been warmly welcomed by Steven Freudmann, Chairman of the ITT, the Board and the members of the ITT.
This support has made such a difference at Alder Hey, helping us to create magical, child-friendly spaces that provide a better experience through distraction therapy, engagement and reducing anxiety and trauma.
At the stunning Gala Dinner in 2024, we were absolutely overwhelmed by the support from ITT members who bid at auction, donated and made pledges of support!
Almost £115,000 was raised on the night and thousands more pledged by businesses and individuals to support our MediCinema (see page 3). Included in this was an incredibly generous donation of £100,000 from
Roger Allard, Chelsea Green. This will fund a welcome space in our new, innovative, Same Day Emergency Care Unit, which will include a play wall for distraction as well as natural design features promoting a calm environment (see page 10).
Nathan Askew (Chief Nursing Officer) at the ITT Gala Dinner 2024
Photo credit: @ArifGardner
We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported Alder Hey through the ITT over the past 10 years with special mentions to A-ROSA River Cruises and MSC Cruises for consistently sponsoring the Gala Dinners each year. We look forward to seeing what 2025 brings!
ITT visit our new MediCinema
We simply could not do what we do without YOU! Thank you to everyone who has supported us and continues to champion Alder Hey. Together we are making a real difference to the children and families Alder Hey supports.
HAYLEY THOMAS Head of Corporate Partnerships hayley.thomas@alderheycharity.org
ELLIE FREESTONE Corporate Partnerships Manager ellie.freestone@alderheycharity.org
KAITLIN GERMAIN Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser kaitlin.germain@alderheycharity.org
KATY ARMITAGE Corporate Partnerships Fundraiser katy.armitage@alderheycharity.org
HANNAH NGUYEN Corporate Partnerships Assistant hannah.nguyen@alderheycharity.org
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Alder Hey Children’s Charity, Eaton Road, Liverpool, L12 2AP www.alderheycharity.org