North Hertfordshire College is delighted to announce the final fundraising total for our 2023/24 Charity of the Year. Our staff, students, and community members have raised £7539.83 through online and offline donations for the Sunshine Appeal, run by East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity.
Kit Davies, College Principal and one of the staff who abseiled down Lister Hospital, said: “I am extremely proud of the charitable efforts demonstrated by our staff and students throughout this year. From our rainbow runners to those brave enough to join me in an eleven-storey abseil – the imaginative fundraising ideas of both staff and students have been inspiring and I have been overwhelmed with the amount raised for this truly worthwhile cause.
“The garden terrace will have such an impact on patients in the hospital and will provide a quiet space for them and their families to spend quality time together, away from the busy wards.
“I extend a sincere thank you to each student and staff member that helped us in making a real difference to our local community.”
The Sunshine Appeal was set up to transform the outside areas at Lister Hospital to benefit patients, visitors, and staff by building an accessible outside terrace. The space is designed to allow intensive care patients to be pushed outside in their beds to see the sky. Thanks to the support of the College and the wider local community, the project has now raised the £400,000 needed to instruct the builders to begin the work!
Fundraising at North Hertfordshire College kicked off in October 2023 at the Big Draw event at our Hitchin campus. Those attending this creative event, which was open to the local community, were asked for a donation towards the Sunshine Appeal after a representative from East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals Charity spoke to them about the work they do.
View this post on Instagram
In December, NHC’s Supported Studies and Stevenage NET students hosted their Winter Fayre and raised £1,600 by selling cakes and handmade treats. They followed this up with a bake sale in February to raise a further £275 – their cakes sold out completely within an hour and a half!
n March, the Supported Studies department held another fundraising event in aid of the Sunshine Appeal, making ‘fakeaway’ fast-food style burgers and fries for staff and learners. Their popular home-made fast-food meal was named the McMutch meal, after course team leader Rachel Mutch, who abseiled 11-storeys down the Lister Hospital alongside college principal Kit Davies and Access to HE students in aid of the Sunshine Appeal.
Fundraising continued at the Winter Staff Conference where college staff took part in enrichment activities and enjoyed a presentation from Beth McNeil from the charity who discussed the different projects that they raise funds for.
English for Speakers of Other Languages students added to the funds through their Cooking Showcase. Students prepared and sold dishes from their respective countries, a real fusion of spices, taste and aromas were enjoyed by all.
Finally, in June, a team of staff and their families took part in the Rainbow Run at Ridlins End Stadium and Playing Fields in Stevenage. Participants were invited to run, walk, or skip a 5k or 2.5k route with a colourful twist. The team raised £893 to add onto the College’s existing total.
Melissa Caneppele, NHC’s community engagement executive who also ran the Rainbow Run, said: “We really enjoyed fundraising for such a great cause that’s close to the hearts of so many of us. We’re all so grateful for the services Lister has provided to people we know, friends and families and ourselves and we are chuffed to have been able to help raise funds for such a great cause. We’re looking forward to the sunshine balcony opening.”
Beth, head of public fundraising for East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity, said: “It is an absolutely incredible sum raised by the college which you should feel phenomenally proud of. I know it was a huge team effort with a lot of the teachers taking on the challenges and leading by example so well done to each and every person who make this amazing amount possible.”