The ‘Wear Your Wedding Dress’ event was hosted at Saffron Screen in Saffron Walden last Friday (9 November). Guests enjoyed fizz, nibbles and a raffle before settling in to watch a special screening of the popular film Bridesmaids.
Guests were invited to dress up in their wedding frock, bridesmaid dress or just accessorise with a veil and tiara for some light-hearted girly fun. Some of the dresses no longer fitted, were no longer in fashion, but in many ways, it all added to the slightly tongue-in-cheek sense of occasion. There were several bridesmaids, some mothers of the bride and one lady who dressed up as a vicar.
The event was organised by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire presenter Sue Dougan, whose son Tom required specialist treatment at the Rosie following his birth in 2011.
Commenting, Sue said: “We spend so much time, effort and money arranging the perfect wedding gown – we thought this was a fun way to legitimately wear it again. It was definitely a night to remember and a great way to raise money for a cause that touches so many. Many of the ‘brides’ who came along had became mothers whose babies were born at the Rosie and, in some cases, were treated in neonatal care there.”
The event was generously supported by local companies such as Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, the Sweet Shop Saffron Walden and Marshalls of Cambridge, as well as Saffron Screen, which has a growing reputation for themed movie nights.
Michelle Gray, Head of Community Fundraising at ACT, said: “What a fantastic and original idea for a fundraising event. We’re extremely grateful to Sue, the team at Saffron Screen and all the ladies who dressed up to help raise funds for the Rosie Hospital. In the run up to Christmas, continuing community support for the Big Push will be warmly welcomed.”
Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the dedicated charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals, is running the Big Push until the end of 2012 to raise £150,000 from the local community towards the modernisation and expansion of the Rosie. All cash raised will help fund vital extra equipment to help give local newborn babies the best possible start in life.
For more details about the Rosie Hospital Campaign please go to: www.therosiecampaign.org.uk or call 01223 217757.
About the Rosie Hospital Campaign
The Rosie Hospital is recognised as one of the finest maternity hospitals in the country. Supported by charitable funding, the Rosie opened in 1983, since when much has changed. It was designed for approximately 4,000 births a year. In 2010-11 almost 5,800 babies were born at the Rosie and by 2020 that number is expected to increase to 7,500.
The new three-storey extension that opened in September 2012 has doubled the size of the existing maternity unit. It will mean the Rosie can continue to offer pregnant women, their families and new babies the very best standard of care. New facilities include:
· A brand new midwife-led birth centre with ten en-suite rooms for women with a low risk pregnancy
· An expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit with 58 cots for babies born early or that need specialist attention
· New ‘home from home’ accommodation with eight en-suite bedrooms, a rest area and kitchen for parents with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
· A new Fetal Medicine and Day Assessment Unit for monitoring pregnant women and fetal development
· A dedicated counselling suite offering professional support when outcomes are not as planned.
For patients and staff these new world-class resources will make an enormous day-to-day difference. The extra space will enable staff to help more women give birth in the comfort of their local hospital. The transformed Rosie will be a regional centre of clinical excellence for training and will aim to set new standards of care by advancing antenatal and neonatal development through research.
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