Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I have set up the Rainbow Fund Weight Loss Challenge in support of the Rainbow Fund, raising money for Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity.

About the Rainbow Fund

The Rainbow Fund is a group of Mum's (and a Dad) in Harrogate.  We all have children who have been helped in one way or another by the wonderful staff at Harrogate Hospital and we want to say thank you, to help them be all that they try to be... to give a little back by way of appreciation.

My Story

My youngest daughter, Florence, was born at home on 16 November
2014. She was three weeks early – unusual for me as I usually carry to 42 weeks, but Florence is my fourth child and the birth was uncomplicated. However, our little bundle of joy arrived in a somewhat smaller package than we had expected! Rather than the 10lb bouncing brute we had expected (in the wake of her brothers and sister), little Florence was born at a tiny 4 lb 4oz, desperately underweight and struggling to thrive.

Despite our greatest efforts, Florence failed to gain weight and
when, at 3 weeks of age, she dropped under 4 lbs, we sought the help of the Harrogate Hospital. Florence was admitted onto the children’s ward at the hospital and had to be intubated. It was a distressing time for all of us but, thanks to the support of the midwives at the hospital and an aggressive feeding regime Florence remains tiny, but otherwise healthy. We are indeed very blessed.

When I was asked to give my support to the Rainbow Fund I spent
quite a lot of time thinking about what I could do to help. And then it struck me.

I’ve always put a lot of weight on during my pregnancies but then I’ve
always lost the weight without too much trouble too. With Florence it has been a different story, however. After the birth of my daughter and the traumatic events that surrounded it I have to be honest in saying that getting back into shape hasn’t been my first priority – in fact it’s remained pretty firmly at the bottom of a long list of ‘to-do’s for a while. So what better way to show my support than in a sponsored weight loss event?

I’m going to lose 60lbs. That’s a lot of weight (almost a Spice
Girl!), but do-able. Not only will this weight loss journey leave me a fitter,
healthier mummy for my four gorgeous children, in doing so securing their future which is so very precious to me, but it will enable me to do my part in fundraising for this cause which means so much to so many of us. We have all used the Harrogate Hospital. Many of us had our babies there; more of us have used the children’s outpatients department and most of us will see the inside of the hospital walls at some point. So please join me in supporting our local hospital, and in securing its future, help to secure the future of our children too.  

Current Fundraising Projects

There are two projects that we are currently raising money for:

1.    Transport Ventilator for Harrogate SCBU

Most special care baby units have a transport ventilator.  It allows babies to be transported from one neonatal unit to another when it is necessary. Having their own transport ventilator reduces the need to wait for an emergency retrieval when a poorly baby needs to be transferred from one hospital to another requiring specialist care.  

The transport ventilator in Harrogate's Special Care Baby Unit is very old and Harrogate's tiny babies of the future desperately need a new one. 

2.    Overhaul of Harrogate Hospital children’s outpatients department

The Paediatric Outpatient Department at Harrogate Hospital run a large range of clinics for babies, children and adolescents.  We want to raise funds to buy medical equipment suitable for all ages of patients and help support the refurbishment of the department, providing games and interactive activities to engage children and put them at ease when they visit Paediatric Outpatients.

These two huge causes desperately need our help. By holding our own events throughout 2016 we are asking the kind and generous people of Harrogate help us to give back.  My weight loss journey is just one of them.

Thank you

Would you like to help?

Please donate as little or as much as you feel able and support me in my weight loss journey as I show support for this very worthwhile cause.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

If you would like to join me in the weight loss challenge, or if you wish to hold your own event to raise money for this fund, please get in touch with the Rainbow Fund, either through the justgiving.com site or through
our own website at www.therainbowfund.co.uk, and we will be delighted to help and support you in any way we can.