Celebrating 71 years of the NHS at Royal Surrey

Let's raise a cuppa

Tuesday 9 July 2019

Staff at Royal Surrey County Hospital and the local community raised a cuppa in celebration of 71 years of the NHS on Friday (5 July).  

Staff were invited to join Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity at our NHS Big Tea – an annual fundraising and awareness initiative run by NHS Charities Together – to thank them for the excellent care they help deliver. Free hot drinks and sweet treats for staff were kindly provided by Rapid Relief Team UK, a global charitable organisation, which offers catering support to emergency services.

Staff on the wards who were not able to head out for a cuppa on the hospital’s helipad received their own tea party packs to celebrate with their teams, which included tea and biscuits provided by Costco in Farnborough. The event also featured a raffle and prizes included a unicorn layer cake, donated by Butter and Cream Cakes, cupcakes baked by chef Claudia Nocci, an NHS Big Tea cake made by a member of staff, and tickets for Epsom Racecourse donated by the Jockey Club.

Companies, community groups and individuals across Surrey joined in the celebrations by hosting their own tea parties. Mummies Club Guildford, RHW Solicitors, Vantage Point Magazine, Queen Elizabeth Park Care Home and Natwest in Guildford were among the supporters to hold events to raise money for the charity’s Closer to Care campaign.

The £500,000 appeal, which launched in May, aims to transform care for premature or sick babies in Surrey by delivering a new Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at the hospital. The project will provide the space and resources needed to give parents the option to stay overnight, next to their newborns’ cots – something that is not yet available in many units across the country.

Analiese Doctrove, Head of Fundraising at Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity, said:

“NHS Big Tea was a great opportunity to raise a cuppa to our wonderful NHS and thank our incredible staff, while also raising vital funds which will make a real difference to local people who may need the hospital now, or in the future”

She added: “Thank you to the Rapid Relief team for providing their services and all food and drink at no cost to the charity and also to everyone who donated prizes for our raffle."

We are so grateful to all those who held a Big Tea to raise much-needed funds: thank you for your support.

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For those who are keen to support Closer to Care, there’s still time to get involved – whether you’d like to host a tea party for friends and family, make a donation or fundraise: we’d love to hear from you.”

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