725km cycle raises £2.5K for children’s ward
Published: 4 August 2016
Torbay Hospital staff who cycled 725km raised an impressive £2,465.71 to help provide a new parents’ room for the Hospital’s Louisa Cary children’s ward.
Around 30 people took part in the static bike ride, which was held outside Tesco supermarket in Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot over two days in June. Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust nurses Faye Taylor and Rachel Moroz, and ward clerk Jane Edwards, organised the bike ride, and also a raffle, raising a total sum of £4,184.16 for the new parents’ room.
Paediatric nurse Faye Taylor said: “The parents’ room on Louisa Cary ward is often used by parents in need of a break or a quick cup of tea and it is also the place where difficult and upsetting news can be given. Although currently the room is functional, we would really like to create a special haven for our parents and carers, and give it a bit of a wow factor.”
“We had originally intended to cycle 420km which is the round trip distance between the hospitals we have close contact with and transfer patients to; Derriford, Bristol Children’s Hospital and Royal Devon & Exeter. However, my wonderful colleagues surpassed themselves by cycling nearly double that.
“I would like to say an enormous thank you to the customers who donated so generously, to everyone who cycled and gave support, to Tesco for hosting us and to More Heat Ltd for sponsoring our t-shirts. We are overwhelmed with the amount raised and can’t wait to start work on the parents’ room and show everyone what their money has paid for. I know it will be a huge comfort to families in times of distress.”