Fundraiser hands over £10,000 to unit which cared for his brother as a baby

Paul was part of a fundraising drive which handed over £10,000 to support sick and premature babies at the University Hospital of North Tees, giving the Neoangels charity its largest donation to date.

Paul, 56, from Billingham, along with members of The Swan Pub’s Charitable Fund, have been fundraising for the neonatal unit at the hospital for more than two decades.

Paul’s younger brother Robert was cared for on the unit in 1973, when he was born six weeks prematurely.

The group has previously purchased and donated items including a CPAP machine, which helps babies with who need breathing support, a Bilibed, which helps babies who have jaundice, and an IV docking station, which allows several life-saving intravenous drugs to be administered. at once.

Now, with the help of his friend Steven Perkis, he has presented the Neoangels charity, which supports sick and premature babies on the unit at North Tees, with a cheque for £10,000.

“It all started years ago when we did a disco night at the pub and discussed where the money should go,” he said.

“One of the lads suggested the special care baby unit (as it was known back then), and after the care I saw my brother receive I was more than happy to fund-raise for them.

“When there were talks of the new hospital at Wynyard, we moved the money to a savings account, as we didn’t want any donated equipment left behind.”

In December, Paul revealed the account had more than £9,500 in, and that he himself would top it up to make the £10,000.

Staff nurse Zoe Musgrave, who is a trustee of the fund, said: “When Paul came in and told us just how much money he wanted to donate, we all nearly fell on the floor in shock.

“It’s an astounding amount, and one that is going to make such an enormous difference.”