Get ready to take on a…
Can you take on a personal challenge to raise awareness and vital funds for premature babies and their families after neonatal care?
It’s time to get creative and meaningful with your fundraising event this summer. We’ve been inspired by our trustee Kerry (below centre, with trustees Sarah and Catriona) who took on her own Small but Mighty Challenge to celebrate her son Alfie. Kerry ran 26km (Alfie was born at 26 weeks) through the night between 2am and 2pm (Alfie weighed 2lb 2oz) in 3-hourly intervals to signify the times she was able to touch him in the incubator.
Whether it’s significant numbers, places or personality traits, the sky’s the limit for your own Small but Mighty Challenge. To get you started, here are a few ideas for celebrating our wonderful babies and children…
Music-loving dancing king or queen? Host a disco with their favourite songs, games and colours. Perhaps you could make the start time the time they were born? Or ask guests to convert their weight from pounds (lb) to pounds (£) and donate to The Smallest Things?
NICU Reunion Still in touch with your fellow NICU graduates and their families? Why not organise a get-together on a special date? Perhaps the anniversary of their homecoming from hospital or their due date. Ask guests to donate or bring and buy cakes or other treats.
Guess the NICU days Fill a container with the same number of sweets, teddies or treats as the number of days your premature baby spent in hospital. Ask friends, family and colleagues to pay to guess the number. The winners gets to keep the jar!
Climb a mountain Follow your NICU warrior’s strength to overcome challenges and reach the summit. Perhaps you can climb the corresponding height as the birthweight of your little one? Or climb a mountain with a significant name or location to you. Ask friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you and send them a photo of you holding a special item at the summit.
Organise a preloved sale Pass on the ‘Smallest Things’ your child has outgrown at a bring-and-buy sale. You could charge a small entrance fee and supply the tea, juice and biscuits. Donate all proceeds to The Smallest Things in your little one’s name.
Buggy rush Gather fellow parents and carers together to wheel your littles ones around a park or other outdoor space that’s special to you. Perhaps you could walk a distance or time that corresponds to your baby’s weight, gestation or duration of NICU stay. Ask for sponsorship and get decorating those wheels!
How to set up your online fundraising page
It’s easy to set up your own fundraising page on JustGiving.com and link it to The Smallest Things. That way, any money raised goes directly to the charity without you having to do a thing.
Click the button below to go to The Smallest Things' JustGiving page.
Click ‘Start fundraising’.
Log in to your JustGiving account or set one up.
On the ‘What are you doing?’ page, choose ‘I’m doing my own activity’.
Complete some details about your Small but Mighty Challenge.
Check details then create and customise your page.
Share your page far and wide! Don’t forget to tag The Smallest Things and use #SmallButMighty on social media so we can share too.