A six month news round up....

My login was kidnapped by aliens. Where DID the first 6 months of 2009 go?
I know it's June, but we'll start with a look back to our fabulously successful Christmas Carol Concert. It raised around £900 for the neonatal unit and proved a very special evening for everyone involved. Hopefully we'll be back for more this year, better start dusting off the carol sheets...here are some photos:




Patron Ortis Deley and NNU graduate Sophie Graham





Patron Ortis Deley





The congregation in fine voice




The St Matthew's School Choir





































Quite a few highlights from the last 6 months to tell you about. We're very pleased that Broomwood Hall School in Balham has adopted us as their charity of the year; Samantha and Neil Holloway continue their huge fundraising effort through Agatha's Appeal; New Dad Dylan Wrixon and our CBBC patrons have put together a rugby team to raise money for the unit over the next year (come on The STORKS!); and recently, a brand new incubator has arrived on the unit thanks to the fantastic fundraising efforts of the South Family.

A huge thanks also to all of our intrepid fundraisers who continue to support us through running marathons, climbing mountains, walking great distances and generally putting those of us curled up on the sofa to shame....Darren Hayward ran the Reading Half Marathon, Tim Robinson and friends cycled from London to Paris, Gary Wenn completed the Blackpool Marathon, Gillian Atkins and Manabu Osawa ran the London Marathon, Jason Boswell completed his first Triathlon, and the NNU nurses, parents and friends completed the 72.5 mile Great Glen Walk. Thanks to you all!

Please join us for a very special carol service on Tuesday December 2nd at 7pm

Please come and join us for our carol service, to celebrate the work of the Neonatal Unit and to remember all the children and families who have been and continue to be touched by their work.

The service will feature Polka Theatre performers, readings by our patrons from CBBC, NNU staff and graduates, and carols! All followed by minced pies and mulled wine. We are looking forward to a very special evening and do hope you can join us.

Entrance is free and we will be holding a collection on the night.

When: Tuesday December 2nd
Time: 7pm
Where: St Matthew's Church, Durham Road, Raynes Park, SW20

View Larger Map

Waitrose New Malden lends its support to the FNNU

We're delighted that we have been chosen as one of the three charities set to benefit from a share of £1000, thanks to Waitrose's community involvement.

Each month customers can nominate a charity of their choice for consideration. The staff then choose the 3 charities that will compete for the largest share of the £1000. From over 40 nominations the staff unanimously voted for us to be included as one of the three charities.

Between now and November 22nd each shopper gets a green disc, which they use to vote for the charity they favour. At the end of the month the votes are tallied up, and the £1000 is distributed among the charities, in proportion to the votes cast. So the more votes we receive the more cash we get.

If you are shopping in New Malden, and find yourselves in Waitrose, please remember us!

Christmas cards and raffle tickets are on sale now

Our Christmas cards
Our cards have been printed with the generous support of Charles Stanley. They are available in packs of ten with envelopes for a suggested minimum donation of £4.50 per pack including postage and packing.

The wording inside reads “Merry Christmas” and the folded card measures 155mm x 108mm.

For further details or to order please email sarah.f.collins@btinternet.com

Christmas raffle tickets
Tickets are on sale for our annual raffle. Prizes include Racing at Daytona in Sandown Park, signed CDs from our patron Jack McManus, perfumes from Cologne and Cotton, various toys and a Christmas Hamper. The draw will be made at the NNU Christmas Party on December 14th. Tickets are in books of 10, and cost £1 per ticket.

Please email sarah.f.collins@btinternet.com if you would like to purchase any tickets, stating your name and address.

The charity is currently raising funds to purchase an incubator (£12,000), to bring the NNU up to full complement, and a CPAP machine. (£9000)

Sophie Raworth takes on the Great North Run

We're absolutely delighted that Sophie Raworth has chosen to raise money for the NNU when she runs the Great North Run on Sunday 5th October.





The Great North Run is the world's biggest and most prestigious half marathon and is run between Newcastle-upon-Tyne and South Shields. Running a half marathon is quite a feat, not least when you've only recently had a baby as Sophie has.

We're hugely grateful for your efforts, Sophie. Good luck and we hope the sun shines!

You can sponsor Sophie through her page on Justgiving.

The Great North Run will be shown live on BBC1 on Sunday October 5th from 9.30am until 1.30pm.

(Photo of Sophie running from The Telegraph)

Fantastic support from Woolworths in Tooting

Thank you to all the staff and customers of Woolworths in Tooting for their continued support for the NNU. Their fundraising efforts raised a fabulous £1,593.

Thanks to all our 5k runners...

The Hydro Active Women's Challenge took place on Sunday September 7th and runners were out in force to support the NNU despite the rain. A huge thanks to all of them for their efforts. Pictured are the 'Wandsworth 13' led by Suzie Radford and regulars of the event. The're already planning for next year - why not join them?

Jack Macmanus and Sophie Raworth become patrons of our charity

We're delighted to welcome Sophie Raworth, BBC newsreader and Mum of 3, and Jack McManus, singer-songwriter, as patrons of the charity. It's hugely important for a small charity like ours to have high profile friends so we're really grateful to Sophie and Jack for supporting us in this way.



You can find out more about Jack Mcmanus on his website here

Children's TV stars become best of friends with NNU

We're delighted to let you know that Chris Jarvis, cbeebies presenter, and Michael 'Abs' Absalom and Ortis Deley, currently presenting CBBC's most popular programme 'Best of Friends', have lent massive support to The Friends of the Neonatal Unit at St George's by becoming patrons of the charity.





It is wonderful to have such high profile celebrities on board, and it is great for the older siblings of babies on the NNU to know that the Unit has the support of TV personalities well known to them.

The Friends of the Neonatal Unit at St George's celebrates 10 years as a charity in 2008, and is currently raising money to fund a ventilator, 2 transport monitors and 4 phototherapy units for the NNU. The charity has been adopted as one of the 3 charities to benefit from The Balham and Tooting Carnival in August.

Sophie Graham - an inspiration to all NNU graduates

If you're a parent of a premature or sick baby then you'll have spent a lot of time worrying about what the future holds. For one Neonatal Unit graduate, the future has meant running the Great North Run, and raising money for the unit that cared for her when she was born.

Sophie Graham is an inspiration. Not only did she complete the Great North Run last September, she's also a keen swimmer - she completed her 2000m badge last year - and a rookie life guard. And she likes surfing too! According to Mum Vicki and Dad Martin, she's 'incredible'.

Sophie was born with Polycythemia, which meant she had too many red blood cells. She needed an immediate blood transfusion and had jaundice and very low blood sugar. It was 10 days before her parents could take her home. Mum Vicki remembers a frightening time:"Only later did I realise how important 'The Friends of the Neonatal Unit' at St George's was to us and to other parents. You give them comfort at times of great confusion and fear."

And what next for Sophie? Her determination continues to shine and she often tells her parents they'll be watching her swimming for England at the Olympics - so watch this space!

Please sponsor Terry and Bill - running the London Marathon to support the Neonatal Unit

We have a couple of runners attempting the gruelling London Marathon this year in support of the unit. You can support them through Justgiving - Terry Tysoe's Justgiving page is here and Bill Doris - Dad of NNU graduate Oliver - is raising money here. Good Luck to both of them - it's a fantastic effort and much appreciated by everyone on the unit!

High School Prom party raises over £1800 for the NNU

Big thanks to Dylan and Rebecca Wrixon who organised a high school prom party and raised a fantastic £1870 for the NNU. They held the party to say thanks for the excellent care their friend's baby, Eva Tozzi, received on the unit last year. CBBC presenters Angelica Bell and Ortis Deley came along to lend their support and DJ Graham played for free. Also pictured are Prom King and Queen, Paul Pride and Gemma Beagley.

New for 2007 - Christmas Cards supporting the FNNU

Designed exclusively for the Friends of the Neonatal Unit at St George's by the award-winning cinematographer and artist Andy Collins, our cards have been printed with the generous support of Charles Stanley.

They are available in packs of ten with envelopes for a suggested minimum donation of £4.50 per pack including postage and packing.

The wording inside reads “Merry Christmas” and the folded card measures 210mm x 99mm.

For further details or to order please email sarah.f.collins@btinternet.com or
nicola.tomlin@charles-stanley.co.uk