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PROUD

NEWS

26 SEPTEMBER 2025

‘’One in a Million’ Dickie Bird OBE

Hello from Barnsley Hospital Charity Welcome to the eighth and a jam packed edition of Charity Proud News. This week, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Dickie Bird OBE, whose remarkable generosity left a lasting impact on Barnsley Hospital

Charity through his donation of £100,000 for our Tiny Hearts Appeal, supporting our Neonatal Unit. Dickie’s guiding principle, ‘every penny counts’, resonates deeply with our mission to make a

meaningful difference in the lives of you, our colleagues, and our patients. As we reflect on Dickie’s legacy, we also look forward to our upcoming Memory Walk on 19 October, an important event that unites our community in support and remembrance. Additionally, we take pride in celebrating the successes of our Great North Runners and Dragon Boat racers, whose dedication exemplifies the spirit of perseverance and commitment.

We look forward to our upcoming events: The Great Barnsley Hospital Charity Bake Off 2025 which Dickie had been a judge of in previous years and couldn't pick a winning bake as he liked them all! Then a Shark Dive , Cold Water plunge and our inaugural Strictly Glitterball dance competition! We extend our sincere gratitude to all our supporters, whose contributions continue to drive our work forward.

Jane Mills Charity Development Manager

In Loving Memory of Dickie Bird OBE We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dickie Bird OBE this week a true legend and friend of Barnsley Hospital Charity. Dickie’s unwavering support for our Tiny Hearts Appeal reached an extraordinary milestone when he donated a staggering £100,000, helping us cross the £1 million target to support our state-of-the-art neonatal unit for premature babies.

At our Valentine’s Day celebration in 2020, Dickie said: “The reason I have given £100,000 is simply because I don’t think it could go to a better cause… When I’ve seen little babies that are so poorly… I’ve had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. It brings me so much pleasure to see these same babies growing up fit and well…”

Dickie was not only a generous donor, but also our greatest ambassador, a kind-hearted gentleman who made a lasting difference to thousands of tiny lives in his hometown of Barnsley. Jane Mills, Charity Development Manager, said: “Dickie will be very sadly missed, but his legacy will live on through the support he has given to so many tiny lives.”

Our thoughts are with Dickie’s family, friends, and all who loved him during this difficult time. Rest in peace, Dickie. Your kindness lives on in every tiny heartbeat.

Great North Runners This year’s Great North Run will go down in history not just for the incredible atmosphere and iconic route and for Barnsley Hospital Charity having our highest number of runners entered, but also for that unforgettable map mix-up! We were proud to have 18 amazing runners take part in the world’s largest half marathon, all supporting our patients. A brilliant mix of Barnsley Hospital colleagues and passionate external supporters, the team truly went the distance, 13.1 miles, to be exact, raising an astounding £6,100 for our Breast Care Appeal and other vital services across the Trust.

For anyone who didn’t know about the “map mix-up”: the 2025 Great North Run medals and T-shirts accidentally featured a map of Sunderland, showing the River Wear instead of the River Tyne, which actually runs through the event’s true route from Newcastle to South Shields. Runners quickly spotted the mistake on social media, prompting a light-hearted “Wear sorry” apology from organisers!

We want to say a huge thank you to each and every one of our runners who put their ‘heart and soles’ into this challenge. Despite the geographical confusion, our team didn’t let it throw them off. They stayed firmly on track all the way to the finish line! Here’s to teamwork, tenacity, and maybe a slightly more accurate map next year.

If you’re interested in running to support our patients, check out events on our website

Autumn Memory Walk

A Peaceful Way to Make a Difference 📅 Sunday 19 October 2025 📍 Manvers Lake A serene 5K walk open to all staff, volunteers, and external supporters. Walk in memory of a loved one; parent, friend, colleague, patient, or grandparent. It’s a chance to reflect, remember, and walk with purpose, knowing all funds raised support the Breast Care Appeal (or choose to fundraise for your own ward or department). As well as food, drinks and stalls, there will be quiet reflection zones and a special remembrance space at the finish to enjoy with others.

Special thanks to the Palliative Care team for being the first team to sign up! Early-bird entry is £12 for adults, and £8 for under-15s. The cost includes a T-shirt, medal, and sponsorship pack. Sign up below.

Autumn Memory Walk at Manvers Lake event tickets from TicketSource

Thanks to our supporters! A snapshot of our September supporters

Premier Foods Sponsored Walk

Crow n & Anch or Crow n F est Ev e nt

Beryl & the Sensational Six Halloween Crafts & Baby Stall

l 6 Oct xt stal e n ’s l Bery

ik Sidd and Saathv Peaks Yorkshire Three

What the charity has funded in August Funded Charity

Thanks to our supporters, we have been able to fund some fantastic initiatives and equipment for colleagues and patients.

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Television stands

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Ward 17 Relatives Room

Charity F unded

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Charity F unded

Dragon Boating

Event at Manvers Lake A Roaring Success! What an unforgettable day at Manvers Lake! On 14 September 2025, teams from across the Trust and beyond gathered for an action-packed Dragon Boat event, bringing energy, laughter, and some fierce competition to the water. To date, the event has raised over an incredible £11,000! A huge thank you to everyone who donated, paddled, and cheered from the sidelines!

Dressed in creative costumes and full of team spirit, the crews spurred each other on with good humour and determination. The day was more than just a race – it was a fantastic opportunity for teambuilding, relationshipbuilding, and sheer fun.

Email the Charity team to get involved

What you need to do to get involved Organise a team of 17 Fundraising target of £1,000 for the team. Optional payable training can be arranged if you‘re really competitive!

🥇 🥈

Save the date 5 Location: Manv july 2026 ers Lake Congratulations to Anchor Management (Trust HQ team), who paddled their way to victory and were crowned Dragon Boat Champions 2025! A big shout-out to our runners-up: Crossfit Barnsley and Mario (Barnsley Facilities Services), who gave it their all right to the finish line.

Thank you to everyone who made the day such a success – we’re already looking forward to next year

Email the Charity team to get involved

DIVE WITH SHARKS

2 NOVEMBER 2025

LIMITED PLACES AVAILABLE!! For more information contact us Email: barnsleyhospitalcharity@nhs.net Phone: 01226 431650 Blue Planet Aquarium, Ellesmere Port, CH65 9LF

Don’t forget it’s not too late to enter your team into our Care to Compete challenge where prizes will be won every month!

Great Barnsley Hospital Charity Bake Off ‘Bake A Boob’ Back by popular demand, our annual baking competition with a twist to support our Breast Care Appeal. We are encouraging all teams to take part across the hospital making sweet or savoury bakes, (boob themed or not) and use the event as an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of checking your breasts. Email: barnsleyhospitalcharity@nhs.net to get involved We are delighted to announce we have been working with Dolly’s Desserts on a sweet themed surprise - check out our socials for a big reveal next week to benefit our breast care patients throughout October!

Don’t forget it’s not too late to enter your team into our Care to Compete challenge where prizes will be won every month!

KNOW THE SIGNS NOT JUST LUMPS ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK OUT FOR: LUMPS OR THICKENING CHANGES IN SIZE OR SHAPE SKIN CHANGES: PUCKERING, DIMPLING, RASH NIPPLE CHANGES: INVERSION, DISCHARGE PERSISTENT PAIN IN THE BREAST OR ARMPIT

REGULAR SELFCHECKS SAVE LIVES M O N T H LY S E L F - C H E C KS C A N H E L P D E T E CT C H A N G E S E A R LY. EVERYONE SHOULD GET FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IS " N O R M A L" F O R T H E I R B O D Y. S E T A M O N T H LY C A L E N D A R R E M I N D E R TO C H E C K . SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE IF ANY CHANGES ARE NOTICED ATTEND SCREENING CHECKS

Don’t forget it’s not too late to enter your team into our Care to Compete challenge where prizes will be won every month!

We are delighted to present Strictly Glitterball our first ever dance competition to be held at The Civic Barnsley on the evening of 25 November 2025, in support of our Breast Care Appeal. A group of incredible supporters from businesses across Barnsley have volunteered to be partnered up with professional dancers to learn a 60-90 second routine performed in front of the audience live on the evening. Tickets are bookable on the below link through The Civic website and all are welcome to come along and make this an evening to remember! Who will win our 2025 Glitterball trophy? Watch our socials for our couples reveal and how you can support them.

Book your ticket for this fabulous event

Did you know? If you work at Barnsley Hospital you can become a regular giver and support the charity each month Donate pennies Sign up to Microhive (formerly Pennies from Heaven) Round down your monthly salary to the nearest £1 with a donation of your pennies each month. The maximum amount you can give is 99p from every payslip and whilst a small ask of each of us, together we can make a big difference to our charity. Donate your pennies Sign up for Microhive

Donate a regular amount Sign up to a regular monthly deduction (min £1 donation) from your salary to support staff initiatives. Sign up help make a difference each month. Sign up for regular giving

Some of the initiatives your donations fund Complementary therapies for staff Improvements to relatives rooms Cavell Star Awards

Thank you for your support Your support allows us to go above and beyond in enhancing the hospital experience. With your help, we provide state-of-the-art equipment and a comforting environment for patients and their families.

Together, we are making a real difference in their care, ensuring they receive not just medical attention but also the compassion and comfort they deserve. Thank you for being part of the journey.

Email: barnsleyhospitalcharity@nhs.net Telephone: 01226 431650 www.barnsleyhospitalcharity.co.uk Facebook @BHCharity X (Twitter) @BHNFTCharity Instagram @BHCharity

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NEWS

Produced each week by the Barnsley Hospital Communications team. Proud News is all about you and what you’re doing, featuring stories about people who make a difference.

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