Our new campaign for recliner chairs for the neonatal unit

We know that a family’s time on the neonatal unit can be difficult, and stressful. So at First Touch we love to fund initiatives that allow a moment of peace, a moment of parenting joy, and what better way to have such a moment than having skin to skin with your baby? These chairs can be wheeled next to a …

Hurray! Neonatal Care (leave and pay) bill to come into force

There was an announcement today (January 20th) that the Neonatal Care bill will come into effect as of 6th of April this year! Hurray! What does this mean for neonatal parents? Neonatal Care Leave will apply to parents of babies who are admitted into neonatal care up to 28 days old and who have a continuous stay in hospital of …

Father Christmas and Mrs. Claus are visiting us!

Father Christmas and Mrs Claus are coming to visit the babies, their mums and dads and brothers and sisters on the neonatal unit! They will be here on December 19th. He’ll be handing out small gifts and chocolates, and we’ll take the opportunity to do a lovely Christmassy family photo. Don’t worry if your baby moves rooms before the big …

First Touch Christmas cards

Not only do we have a  lovely selection of festive cards for you to send to family and friends, buying our cards will help the charity make Christmas a little bit easier for babies, their families and staff! Have a look at our Just Giving page and choose your favourites! First Touch Christmas Cards 2024 – JustGiving

Christmas on the neonatal unit

We know that spending Christmas on the neonatal unit can be hard for families. We know that you hadn’t imagined that your baby’s first Christmas would be spent with us. First Touch provide a range of treats and experiences to give families facing Christmas in hospital with a sick baby the happiest experience possible and to spread a bit of …

Sarah’s Dorset Update!

Our amazing Sarah Collins, charity director at First Touch for 20 years left us for greener pastures in Dorset 6 months ago. We keenly miss Sarah at the charity, and we know that there will be many families and members of the First Touch community out there who remember her will be keen to hear how she’s getting on. So …

A very generous donation from Friends of Donhead Primary for First Touch!

First Touch was delighted to welcome back Olivia Rodrigues to the unit today. Olivia’s daughter Genevieve was born extremely prematurely and cared for at St George’ s neonatal unit in 2019. Olivia and the Friends of Donhead Primary School raised an amazing £10.000 for First Touch, and £5000 for Ronald Macdonald House charity. Katie Mulroe, from the friends of Donhead, …

World Prematurity Day, November 17th

World Prematurity Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of premature birth, and to celebrate the milestones achieved in the care of the preterm infant and their family. One in ten babies is born prematurely around the world. Here at St George’s Hospital Neonatal Unit, we’re celebrating with a tea party and inviting some extra special guests. We’re happy to …

Interview with Sister Amy for Baby Loss Awareness Week

Amy Prior has worked on the neonatal unit for 14 years and is one of our Neonatal Sisters. She is the unit’s bereavement lead. We asked Amy to tell us about her role, as part of Baby loss Awareness week, a time we come together to remember all the babies we have loved and lost. See what she has to …

First Touch Summer Party for graduates, families and staff!

All NNU graduates and their families are invited along to a reunion party with NNU staff. No tickets needed, just come along at any time between 2 and 5 pm at a time which suits you and bring a picnic or your own snacks. There will be face painting and entertainment by the fantastic Dantastic and the Dragon shelter will …