[H]ospital Equipment Fund for Furness (HEFF) has donated £16,500 to Bay Hospitals Charity’s Bayb’s Maternity Appeal. This generous donation will fund three new birthing pools for Furness General Hospital’s (FGH) new maternity unit.
The money comes from the HEFF, a registered charity made up of local people who generously offer their time and support to raise funds for (FGH). The money will be spent on new birthing pools, supporting the existing pool kindly funded two years ago by BAE Systems’ annual Keswick 2 Barrow Walk.
A water birth means at least part of labor, delivery, or both happen while the mum-to-be is in a birth pool filled with warm water.
Sally Sagar, FGH Midwifery Matron, said: “For some time it’s been our aim to increase the number of birthing pools. Having four birthing pools available to our expectant mums, when the new unit opens, will all but guarantee every woman who wants a water birth should be able to.”
Bayb’s Maternity Appeal Co-ordinator Heidi Bowron added: “We are extremely grateful to all members of HEFF for this wonderful donation, which really will make a huge difference for all our local mums-to-be.”
The Bayb’s Maternity Appeal, which is fast approaching the £100,000 mark towards its £250,000 target, helping to support the new maternity unit being built at FGH. The items funded by the Bayb’s Maternity Appeal are designed to make the unit second to none in the country while giving it a real home from home feel for local families, and for newborns the best possible start in life.
To find out more and make a donation, call in to the Bay Hospitals Charity office at the entrance to Furness General Hospital or visit Bay Hospitals Charity’s website at www.bayhospitalscharity.org
HEFF raises funds through its volunteer staffed shop in Cavendish Street, Barrow, which sells good quality donated clothes, shoes, toys, books and bric-a-brac between 10-15 am and 3-15 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It also receives financial donations from individuals, charity event organisers and a number of local businesses, including BAE Systems.