All the fundraising has paid off and the old part of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Royal United Hospital has undergone a complete refurbishment.  The cramped clinical rooms have gone and in their place wonderful new parent accommodation, open style offices for the staff which is something they have not had before, a seminar room and a relaxing staff room away from the main clinical area.

To complement this, a beautifully designed garden nestles between the parent accommodation and the clinical area of the Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care.  Screened by a wonderful etched window, this garden provides a haven in which parents can have quiet time in the open air.

A significant donation from The Friends of the RUH has enabled the parent accommodation to be fitted out to a very high standard.  Richard Ford, Chairman of the Friends said “We realised very early in the Campaign that this was going to be a very special project.  Our members were keen to help the babies, parents and staff in NICU, when this opportunity came along, we all agreed that it was worthy of our substantial support.

“A number of our Trustees had the pleasure of visiting the parent accommodation and were all thrilled with the end results.”

Dr Bernie Marden who has been involved with the development of the Dyson Centre from the beginning commented “This has been the most amazing journey.  The clinical area has been operational since July in which time well over 300 babies have been through our doors, some only needing a few days care, whilst others requiring longer term intensive care.

“The new parent accommodation is primarily designed to prepare parents who are due to take their babies home.  They are able to look after them in a non- clinical setting for a couple of days and nights, with the staff on hand should they feel they need support.  Taking new born babies home can be daunting at the best of times. Taking a baby home who has been unwell, we feel, needs an adjustment period to give parents that extra bit of confidence.  The four beautifully designed and fitted bedrooms provide that extra luxury.

“Parents not only have a lovely room, they also have the pleasure of looking out into a superb garden designed by Robin Templar Williams, which is screened by a window created by artist, Chris Tipping.

“It is still difficult to believe that the Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care is complete.  On behalf of the babies, parents and staff, please accept my heartfelt thanks.”

There is also the Linder Seminar Room, located off the main Princess Anne Wing Corridor, which gives dedicated space for staff training, whilst not being too far from the babies, should the doctors and nurses be needed in emergency situations.

Sue Tucker from the Appeal added “Once again, we at The Forever Friends Appeal would like to express our grateful thanks to the Friends of the RUH, The Enid Linder Foundation, John Lewis Partnership and the family who supported the garden and window together with everyone who has supported the NICU ‘space to grow’ Campaign.  We are pleased to announce that our donor acknowledgement wall is currently being installed in the Princess Anne Wing Corridor.

“It has been a wonderful experience and we are all thrilled to see it complete and operational.  We could not have achieved this without the support of so many people and it is just wonderful to know that our sick and premature babies are being cared for in the most wonderful of buildings and that the parents and staff also have ‘space’ too!”

Alan Andrews, Community Liaison Co-ordinator from John Lewis Cribbs Causeway concluded that supporting projects in the community was an important and pleasurable aspect of his role and having seen the end result has been incredibly pleased to be involved.