Samworth Church Academy students have presented a cheque for £500 to Kings Mill Hospital for its neonatal unit.

After a tour of the baby unit in November last year, students decided that their target would be £500, the amount needed to cover the cost of a ‘Neopuff’ unit for the specialist ward. The unit is designed to help premature or vulnerable babies breathe.

Now after months of fundraising efforts, including raffles, serving tea and coffee at the Christmas fair and even a daring skydive, students were delighted to visit the ward once again and finally hand over the money.

Matthew Cooper, a student at the Academy did a sky dive at Langar Airfield to raise more funds. He said, “I was really pleased to be able to raise money skydiving for this great cause and to know we hit our target made it all worthwhile.”

Vice Principal at Samworth Church Academy, Melanie Cooper, said that the students were a credit to the Academy, “We are immensely pleased and proud of our amazing year 11 prefects Matthew Cooper, Lauren McGarrigle, Thomas Quinn, Chloe Mawer and Abbie Woodward, who have raised £500 this academic year for the neonatal unit and the Kings Mill Hospital.”

The students said that they had held a strong determination to raise the full amount after their initial visit to the neonatal ward when staff demonstrated how the Neopuff worked.
Chloe Mawer said, “We’ve really enjoyed raising money for such a fantastic cause, it’s been an experience we won’t forget!”