Trevor Goodall, CEO launched the charity, New Life Special Care Babies in 1995 after his twin boys, Joshua and Samuel were born three months early at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon weighing just 1lb 1oz and 1lb 3oz. Sadly, they both died after a week.

The fundraising idea started off as a charity golf day but quickly led to regular events and challenges and 26 years on has become one of the main focuses of his life. The charity raises money to buy lifesaving neo-natal equipment for hospitals across the UK to care for premature and very sick babies.

He said, "Every year over 100,000 babies are cared for in neonatal units in the UK because they have either been born prematurely or are too sick to go home.

Giving premature babies every possible chance of survival with the right equipment is at the heart of everything we do.”

The charity has helped hospitals such as Swindon, Reading, Yeovil, Basingstoke, Bristol, Oxford, Nottingham and Hull raise funds to buy specialist equipment, improving the chances of babies born prematurely.

Mr Goodall set himself the target of raising £1m on the 25^th anniversary but COVID put a stop to fundraising events so a new date of December 2021 was put in the diary. Amazingly, by August 2021 the £1m had been reached helped by the final charity golf day of the year at Donnington Valley Golf Club, Newbury which raised £21k.

“But my job is not done yet”, said Mr Goodall. “I now want to bring an Ambassador on board to help raise awareness of the charity and the work it does and to kickstart us on the road to the next £1m.”

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Debbie Jacobs (press and media) on debbie.zestmarketing@gmail.com

Trevor Goodall (events and fundraising) on trevor@newlifebabies.org.uk

Notes to editors

Each year around 80,000 babies are born prematurely according to statistics published by Bliss. This means that over 2 million premature babies have been born in the UK since the charity began 26 years ago.

The charity was set up in 1995 after Trevor’s twin boys, Joshua and Samuel were born prematurely sadly dying shortly afterwards.

To donate to New Life or support in other ways, go to www.newlifebabies.org.uk/supporting-new-life-special-care-babies