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We are both members of Supporters of Families and Babies (SOFAB) - a very small registered charity based in Yorkshire.  SOFAB raises funds to improve family-centred care in local neonatal units.  There are only 5 of us who all work and fundraise for SOFAB in our spare time. Fun Days, parties and cake sales take a lot of organising, a lot of blagging and a lot of time so we thought we'd just throw ourselves off the Tyne Bridge instead - and the idea seemed like fun when we signed up!  We're doing it on Sunday 16th October between 9:30 and 10:30.

SOFAB raises funds to try to improve the experience of families with babies in neonatal units across Yorkshire.  We support 11 neonatal units - Pinderfields, LGI, St James', Calderdale, Bradford, Airedale, York, Scarborough, Dewsbury, Hull and Harrogate.  We want to provide things the NHS can't and so far have funded such things as the refurbishment of parent rooms, cameras, printers and stationary needed to make baby diaries, toys and games for siblings, a grant to provide meals for formula-feeding mums at LGI so that they can spend more time on the unit with their babies and kitchen items for family areas.  We also organise study days for neonatal units about the importance of family-centred care.

As a mum who had a premature baby almost 7 years ago and a neonatal nurse with 10 years experience, we know how important these seemingly small things are to families who spend a lot of time on the units.  It can be a very difficult time and having things like a peaceful and comfortable place to stay, or a diary of your baby's progress, can help enormously.

Thanks for reading our story and listen out for the screams on the 16th October!

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