One in a million: Premature baby charity celebrates major fundraising milestone

  • Full video report by ITV Meridian's Mel Bloor

A charity dedicated to supporting sick and premature babies born in the Reading and Berkshire area is celebrating raising over £1,000,000 in the last ten years alone.

Babies in Buscot Support (BIBS) was founded 36 years ago by parents of babies cared for on Buscot Ward, the local neonatal unit at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

The charity has been at the heart of helping the ward thrive and improve both patient outcomes and the well-being of parents and staff, ever since.

Among the items purchased with the funds raised are brand new, life-saving equipment such as ventilators, incubators, a brain function monitor, and items like reclining chairs for breast-feeding and skin-to-skin cuddles.

The charity's mission is to 'Save Tiny Lives' Credit: BIBS

One of the most vital services the charity fund is providing families with an independent source of emotional support on the ward, as well as post-discharge through Community Support Groups, and paying for private counselling for parents suffering trauma and anxiety.

Katie Prichard-Thomas, Chief Nursing Officer Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said: "I really can’t thank BIBS enough for the amount of ways they have helped support families during their time on Buscot, from funding to help refurbish facilities, to specialist staff training, it all makes such a huge difference every day on the ward."

BIBS Chief Executive, Sarah Critchley, said: “Every single penny raised has come from fundraising and donations from our local community – often those who know personally about the difference we make, and therefore want to give back.

"We are indebted to each and every person and local company for their support. Without them we would not be able to do what we do.”

TV weather presenter, Laura Tobin, is a former Buscot parent Credit: PA

Former Buscot parent and TV weather presenter, Laura Tobin, has been a loyal supporter of the charity since her daughter was born at just 28 weeks, 6 years ago, raising £20,000 for BIBS by winning the jackpot on the celebrity television game show Tipping Point: Lucky Stars.

Laura said: “There are so many unknowns when you have a premature baby, BIBS gave us so much support when Charlotte was in hospital.

"The Family Support Workers they fund meant there was someone to talk to who had seen hundreds of families go through the same thing and knew what to expect next.

"It was the small things like tea, coffee and biscuits in the family room. The breast pumps which mean I could express whenever I wanted, and the family flats next to the ward meaning we could stay with Charlotte before we left hospital. These are just a few of the amazing ways they helped us.”