PPBF hits £66k target to help more families
Dozens of local families have benefitted from a year-long fundraising campaign which paid for the running costs of the three flats next to Southampton General Hospital.
The Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation raised £66,000 through its Buy-A-Night campaign to secure funding for the running, maintenance and management costs for Aggie’s Burrow, Isaac’s Pad and Frankie’s Den for 1,101 bed nights.
Between 30 and 40 local families used the flats for the first time this year, while they have helped more than 1,000 families over the past 21 years.
The Guernsey Press has led a campaign throughout the year to help with the funding and its readers and corporate donations got the charity over its fundraising target.
PPBF founders Jo and Andy Priaulx praised the achievement, labelling it as ‘absolutely amazing’.
‘We are so, so, so grateful,’ Mrs Priaulx said. ‘This is all thanks to the Guernsey Press and the kind donations from Guernsey’s wonderful community.’
Mr Priaulx added: ‘It’s just a continuous effort to keep it all going, it’s a real 365-days-a-year business, but Jo especially is still extremely driven after 21 years to still be in that hot seat and to raise the money.’
Of the new families to access the charity’s facilities this year, Mrs Priaulx said that they often felt insecure when travelling over to Southampton, and she considered it of paramount importance to make herself available as much as possible and guide them through what to expect from their stay.
‘You’ve got to deal with the emotional side because sometimes they’re very up and down, and it can be any time that people get in contact, late at night or early in the morning. You’ve got to give them an answer and I feel they need that answer,
otherwise they’ll be worried and panicking.’
She said the duration of stays in the flats ranged from days to months on end, with the longest stay totalling 18 months.
Mr and Mrs Priaulx were keen to praise the foundation’s staff, who they said had contributed a lot over the last year.
‘They’ve been fantastic,’ Mrs Priaulx said. ‘Our new fundraiser Sara Edmonds has been a delight, she put on a lovely dress-selling night which raised £5,000, among other initiatives.
‘And I have to say Dean Allen, our flats manager, is a right gem. He meets everybody when they get flown over and he’s been great.’
While delighted at the recent success, the couple were already shifting their focus to next year’s Buy-A-Night scheme, which has already seen 42% of nights sold.
‘Some corporates have bought months and months, but we’ve still got individual nights to sell,’ Mr Priaulx said.
‘The initiative is continuous and the important thing to say is that nights are available right now for those that need them.’
Guernsey Press editor James Falla said: ‘Choosing to support Buy-A-Night, helping families at their most vulnerable times, was something we really wanted to do and I’m delighted that the foundation has hit its target.
‘Thanks to every Guernsey Press reader who contributed.’
World Prematurity Day was yesterday, which also marked the foundation’s 21st birthday.
Find out more about the PPBF’s Buy-a-Night campaign at www.ppbf.org.gg/buy-a-night.
