Hundreds of families from all over the UK came together early in July to raise much needed funds for The Children’s Heart Unit Fund (CHUF). The CHUF Toddle is an annual event held on the 2nd of July which not only generates funds for the lifesaving charity but also celebrates the achievements of ‘Heart Heroes’ treated at Freeman Hospital’s Children’s Heart Unit.
A record breaking 400 children registered to explore the grounds of the prestigious Close House before arriving at an enormous fun day with many of their favourite characters to be spotted along the way! All participants collected sponsorship in advance and were rewarded for their efforts with a medal, certificate and goody bag on the day.
Over 60 volunteers also gave up their time to help out on the day, from dressing up in costume to running various stalls. Support such as this is vital for charities with small teams such as at CHUF.
The event has so far raised over £10,000 with donations and sponsorship still flooding in. All funds raised will be used to provide lifesaving equipment and facilities for not only Freeman Hospital but 6 other Northern hospitals providing children’s cardiac care.
Chris Gray, Chief Executive Officer at CHUF said:
“It is always fantastic to see so many CHUF families attending the Toddle each year, especially those travelling from around the UK to join us. The event couldn’t happen without the continued support of our patron Graham Wylie who allows us to hold the event at Close House each year, we would like to say a huge thank you to Graham for all he does for CHUF.”