Request from Vince Ashton

Bolton Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

 ‘Special Care for Special Babies - Neonatal Special Care to home’ needs your vote in the Lloyds Bank Community Fund

Bolton Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has been shortlisted for the Lloyds Bank Community Fund 2013 in South Lancashire. We have a chance to be awarded a £3,000 grant from Lloyds Bank to enable us to continue doing good work in the community.

        “Special Babies"

 Special care babies really are special. Many of them have spent weeks or even months in hospital and it would be nice to spoil them a little before they go home. At the start of their journey, we do all we can to support mums in establishing breastfeeding as the impact of receiving breast milk can last a lifetime. Providing pumps for use at home can help mums express for longer. The conditions of the majority of infant patients in the NICU are very complex. It is inevitable that they may have to spend a number of months in the Special Care unit. The hospital environment is very clinical and the opportunity for stimulation and play is limited so some toys to soften the environment and encourage mums to play with their babies would be brilliant. This means that they may lose out on the stimulation a full term infant would receive in their home environment and have no experience of the ‘outside world’. This can lead to a developmental impairment.

 Not only is the stimulation of these babies very special to us, we also need to provide a welcoming environment for the comfort of the parents/guardians and visiting siblings.

“The Lloyds Bank Community Fund will make a huge difference to Bolton Neonatal Intensive Care Unit by enabling us to purchase a number of portable breast pumps, home comforts like games cot mobiles, DVD Players and TVs, making a difference to the lives of hundreds of young people using Bolton Special Care facilities. Please vote for Bolton Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to benefit from the Community Fund award.”

https://communityfund.lloydsbank.com/voting/cf_home.asp

and choose Bolton to find our page to vote (search Bolton)

Or text VOTE PDSC to 61119

Or go into a Lloyds bank:

How do I cast a vote in a branch?

·         Votes for Community Fund 2013 can be cast in participating branches during branch open hours.

·         You will be invited to cast a vote when transacting at the branch counter, or at the branch enquiry desk, or following a meeting in branch.

·         You will be handed a voting token by a member of staff to place in the voting box of your preferred community group of the four presented.

·         Only one voting token is available per transaction in branch, branch enquiry or meeting.

·         Please note that the opportunity to vote may be refused by the branch bank manager if it is reasonably believed that the fairness of the voting process is likely to be affected.

We have until 1^st November so please pass on the word. Press releases will be out soon locally.

So far we are in the top four for this award in South Lancashire. This has got us £300. Now comes the public vote to increase this to £3000

Vince Ashton

Medical Devices Nurse Practitioner

1^st Floor East Wing

Musgrave House