Help us make Christmas happen
Help us bring Christmas to children spending time in hospital this year.
“I will always be thankful to Rockinghorse for putting a smile on my face and allowing me to make memories over a difficult Christmas.”
Tom, who spent Christmas in the Royal Alex.
Helping make Christmas happen.
Spending time in hospital over Christmas isn’t fun for anyone, but it’s even worse for children – not knowing if Father Christmas will know where to find them, not being able to enjoy Christmas at home with their family, not to mention being scared and worried about their treatment.
So our Christmas campaign is once again raising funds to make sure that no child visiting or staying in hospital throughout Sussex this Christmas misses out on any of the festive fun.
Our aim is to take Christmas to these children by delivering advent calendars and gifts to children in hospital, putting on Christmas parties and festive activities, bringing Santa and donkeys to the hospitals, as well as delivering Christmas meals and hampers to families on Christmas day.
How you can help.
Whatever you can do will help so many children and families.
Donate
- You could make a donation using our online form here. Your donation, however small, will make such a difference.
- Check out our range of Christmas cards
Fundraise in your community
- Visit our Giving Tree at Churchill Square
- Get in the Christmas spirit and run 5k with hundreds of other Santas along Brighton seafront for our Santa Dash
- Arrange a present collection or festive fancy dress in your local area or at your school. Just contact emma@rockinghorse.org.uk to help you.
At your workplace
- Sponsor a star in our dazzling display on the side of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital.
- Rock your Christmas Jumper for Rockinghorse this December. Choose a date and join in the festive fun by wearing your Christmas Jumper to work, whether that be at home or in the office and make a donation to Rockinghorse.
- Rockinghorse Christmas present collection. We’re collecting presents we can gift to children who will be in hospital this Christmas. They must be new unwrapped presents suitable for children aged 0-18 years, to be collected week beginning 11th December. Contact amanda@rockinghorse.org.uk
Message from our CEO
Donna Holland, CEO of Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, explains why your support is so vital: “Christmas is an especially busy time for the charity. Over the coming months we will support the families who already know they are going to be in hospital at Christmas; Those who have just got a diagnosis, or whose child is already sick.
“They know that Christmas day will be spent on a ward, in a treatment room or having surgery.
“But we also support the families who don’t know they are going to be in hospital yet. They will be planning for Christmas as normal, but sometime in the next month or so, something will happen that will completely change their plans. A cough that doesn’t go away, a temperate that keeps on rising or an accident waiting to happen.
“At Rockinghorse, we support all children and their families. We do anything we can to help them feel more at home in hospital this Christmas.”
Spending time in hospital at Christmas
Tom spent Christmas in intensive care at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital when he was 14.
Tom’s mum Laura explains more, “It was fast approaching Christmas and like most families we were running around like headless chickens getting everything ready, well that was until the curve ball hit us! Tom was rushed to hospital for an emergency hip operation following a bad fall. It was his first time in hospital, and he was obviously extremely anxious.
“All I wanted was for Tom to be home in time, but because his operation was on Christmas Eve, this wouldn’t have been possible.
“So, our Christmas was spent around Tom’s bed making the most of the situation.
“This is when we discovered the fantastic charity, Rockinghorse. Father Christmas arrived with a parcel for Tom and we were given a Christmas hamper which was filled to the brim with food and goodies for us all.”
Despite their situation, Tom had a good experience, “They gifted me a remote-control helicopter which instantly put a smile on my face.
“I will always be thankful to the charity for putting a smile on my face and allowing me to make memories over an unfortunate Christmas period.”
“Rockinghorse made our situation so much better and happier for us all and we honestly can’t thank them enough. A smile was brought to everyone’s’ face.”
Laura, Tom’s mum
Make Christmas Sparkle
Your donations, however small, will make such a difference. Here’s what they could pay for:
- £5 – An advent calendar for a child visiting hospital
- £10 – Decorations for a Christmas tree for a children’s hospital ward
- £25 – A special Christmas gift for a child in hospital
- £50 – A Christmas dinner for a parent in hospital on Christmas Day
- £100 – A Christmas hamper for a family missing their usual treats
- £200 – Donkeys to visit the hospital at Christmas
Help us to make Christmas happen for thousands of families this festive season.
Donate below.
