In a remarkable demonstration of local support, Boston Spa-based Martin House Children’s Hospice raised more than £400,000 through its ‘36 Hour Give’ campaign, far exceeding its original £360,000 goal.
The campaign launched on Sunday, September 28, at Wetherby Town Hall, with support from Emmerdale cast members, Wetherby Mayor Connor Mulhall, and music from The Duchy Darlings. High-profile backing also came from Leeds United Football Club and Sir Gareth Southgate, who encouraged people across Yorkshire to support the well-loved children’s hospice.
The campaign’s momentum was sustained throughout, £30,000 was donated in the first 10 minutes. The campaign concluded on Monday, September 29, at 8pm, with the final total standing at more than £400,000.
Donations up to £180,000 were doubled by generous match-funders, ensuring every pound doubled its impact. Every additional pound raised still contributes to THE BUILD, a £21.9 million redevelopment project of the children’s hospice.
THE BUILD will transform care for children and young people with life-shortening conditions across Yorkshire, it will offer family-designed spaces including the beautiful children’s wing, teenage zone, hydrotherapy pool, and education centre. These renovations will offer specialist care, dignity and comfort to children and their families.
Clair Holdsworth, Chief Executive at Martin House, said:
“This is a huge achievement, we’ve been blown away by the support that we’ve seen for this campaign. The generosity and kindness shown by people across Yorkshire has been overwhelming, we are so grateful.
“The more money we raise, the more children we can support. £500 provides five weeks of essential emergency medicine for the children in our care, and £50 goes towards specialist hydrotherapy equipment – any amount of donation genuinely makes a huge difference.
“Yesterday was a huge achievement, but our journey to complete THE BUILD continues, any ongoing support and donation will continue to make a difference to the care and support we can deliver.”
Robyn Mountain-Wade, Director of Income Generation at Martin House, said:
“This incredible result just proves how much Martin House means to people across Yorkshire and beyond. A huge thank you to every single person who has donated, fundraised, shared our story and believed in us.
“Our staff, supporters, and volunteers have all gone above and beyond. There was certainly a big celebration at Martin House yesterday!
“We always hoped we could do it, given the support we’ve had throughout THE BUILD, but to hit £360,000 with five hours left of the campaign was incredible, and to share it with the community was even better.”
Headline sponsor HARIBO UK played a vital role in promoting and supporting the appeal.
Jon Hughes, Managing Director at HARIBO UK & Ireland, said:
“To see the community come together and achieve such an outstanding result is inspiring. As a proud Yorkshire business, we’re delighted to support Martin House and THE BUILD, and we know this funding will help make a real difference for children, young people, and their families.
“It was fantastic to visit the campaign hub across the two days and see first-hand the passion, energy, and commitment from everyone involved.”
For further details about THE BUILD and how to support it, visit: https://www.martinhouse.org.uk/thebuild
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Martin House has been providing family-led care and support for babies, children and young people with life-shortening conditions since 1987 (life-shortening means the child or young person is not expected to live beyond young adulthood).
Every year we support over 550 children and young people, and their families plus around 200 bereaved family members across West, North and East Yorkshire, at our hospice, in hospitals and in families’ own homes.
The hospice, based in Boston Spa, has nine bedrooms in Martin House, and six in Whitby Lodge, which cares for teenagers and young people. Our services include specialist short stays, symptom control, emergency care, community care and end of life care.
Bereavement support is offered to families who have used Martin House, as well as to families whose child had a life-shortening condition but did not have the opportunity to use the hospice, or following a sudden death.
Martin House has three consultants in paediatric palliative medicine and also hosts two places to train future consultants, one of only six training centres in the UK.
There is no cost to any of the families using our services. It costs around £10.5 million a year to provide this care, the majority of which comes from voluntary donations and fundraising.
Registered Charity Number 517919
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