A supporter inspired by her family’s experience has raised £7,800 for UHNM Charity’s Forget Me Not Suite through a series of fundraising events.
Elle-mae chose to support the Forget Me Not Suite after her niece was born there in 2025. Since then, she has dedicated her fundraising to helping other families facing the loss of a baby.
She said: “I started fundraising for UHNM Charity in 2025 after my niece was born in the Forget Me Not Suite.
“I’ve done lots of fundraising in the past, but my chosen charity now is the Forget Me Not because of the experience that my family has been through. I feel I want to give something back, even if it’s just something to support all the families that are going through the hardest day of their lives.”
Elle-mae’s fundraising journey began with a bake sale before she took on a skydive and organised a successful bingo night. Together, the three events raised an incredible £7,800.
She said: “I started with a bake sale, then I did a skydive and then I did a bingo night, which was a great success.
“In total, I’ve raised £7,800 and I hope to continue my fundraising to help families in need. I really enjoyed the events that I did. I don’t think hanging out of a plane was the greatest thing, but I did it because it raised such a great amount.”
Reflecting on the support she received, Elle-mae said: “My family in particular were great, always so supportive. The local community have come together so well to help me raise the amount, so it’s greatly appreciated.”
The money raised will help transform the bereavement facilities within the Forget Me Not Suite, creating a more peaceful and comforting environment for families.
Sarah Lake, Bereavement Specialist Midwife, said: “The one thing we can’t do is change the outcome for families. But if we can make their stay here in the Forget Me Not Suite just that little bit more comfortable and provide opportunities through charitable funding, it makes a huge difference.
“We’re hoping that the money that’s been shared today is going to help soundproof our bereavement rooms and redecorate them to make them more comfortable for our families. We’re going to involve families from our peer support group to help design those rooms so they’re absolutely right for our families.”
Donna Brayford, Director of Midwifery, praised Elle-mae’s fundraising efforts.
She said: “We’re here today to celebrate our fundraisers and say an absolute huge thank you. We are always in absolute admiration for the courage of these families that have been through these experiences, and somehow they find the energy to skydive, do bingo, which take a huge amount of organising.
“It’s to celebrate what they’ve done, promote UHNM Charity fundraising and say a huge thank you for the difference their support is going to make.”
Elle-mae hopes her story inspires others to support the charity.
She said: “Seeing everyone come together for such an amazing charity has been incredible. My bake sale and bingo night were such great events and everyone had such a good time.
“Definitely give it a go because every penny helps. If we can make just a little difference to somebody’s life, then it’s worth it.”
If you’d like to support UHNM Charity or organise your own fundraiser, visit our Fundraise for Us page to find out how you can get involved.
