Cots for Tots

17/09/2026

🚨Halfway there! 🚨

Today marks the halfway point of Patrick’s SoNAR Running Man challenge.

Over just 14 days, lead nurse, Patrick is running more than 380 miles across the South West, visiting every neonatal and special care baby unit along the way to raise funds for Cots for Tots, to support the South West Neonatal Advice and Retrieval service.

➡️ https://rebrand.ly/lls02wl

Crossing seven counties and covering a distance comparable to Bristol to Edinburgh, Patrick’s challenge is nothing short of extraordinary.

Keep going, Patrick. We’re behind you every step of the way! 💙

16/09/2026

Can you hear it? The soft jingle of bells, the pitter patter of reindeer hooves in the distance... It can only mean one thing. There are just 100 days until Christmas! 🎄⭐🎅

https://rebrand.ly/fhjfevx ✨

Make this festive season a special one when you sign up to Shine Bright for Bristol Children's Hospital. All you need to do is adorn your home in all things festive and fundraise for sick children and babies across the South West. ❄️

When you join Bristol's biggest Christmas lights display, you'll receive FREE resources, meet a like-minded community of fundraisers and your display will be added to our interactive map. 🗺️

Sound good? Sign up to Shine Bright for Bristol Children's Hospital today. 💙

15/09/2026

Listen up! 👂

Bristol favourites, Alex Lovell and Seb Choudhury, want to know if you've secured your table for this year's Beat the Brain Surgeon®. 🧠

https://link.grandappeal.org.uk/BTBS

Gather your friends or colleagues and go head-to-head with some of Bristol's brightest minds in a black-tie quiz.

Join us at Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel on Friday 16 October for an unforgettable night raising money for sick children and babies across the South West. 💙

Beat the Brain Surgeon is kindly sponsored by Family Adventures Group, and programme sponsor, DSV - Global Transport and Logistics.

14/09/2026

⭐ We’re hiring!⭐

Join us as Community Fundraising Manager (maternity cover) and play a key role in growing our community fundraising programme.

https://link.grandappeal.org.uk/careers 👈

You will inspire and support individuals, schools, groups and organisations to raise vital funds through creative and engaging fundraising activities, while leading the strategy, development and delivery of our fundraising campaigns to maximise income and help make a lasting difference.

Think you’d be a good fit? Apply today.

13/09/2026

Even the rain could not dampen the spirits of the incredible families and fundraisers who attended Grand Walk today! 🥳⭐

More than 300 brilliant walkers came together at Ashton Court Estate to take on our 1.5km and 5km routes in support of sick children and babies. There were smiles at every turn, with face painting, garden games, children’s entertainment and of course much-loved Gromit Unleashed sculptures.

A huge thank you to everyone who walked, fundraised, volunteered, cheered from the sidelines or helped bring the day to life and to Family Adventures Group for sponsoring this year’s event. We were especially delighted to see so many families returning too. 💙

What an unforgettable day. We hope you are heading home feeling proud, inspired and part of something truly special.

11/09/2026

We're finalists! 🎉

Today, we’re proud to be celebrating two nominations at this year’s Third Sector Awards, recognising the impact of our work in 2025.

We’re shortlisted for Medium Corporate Partnership of the Year, recognising our long-standing and valued partnership with Aardman, as well as Fundraising Team of the Year for the incredible people whose passion and hard work helped make Gromit Unleashed 3 such a success.

Congratulations to all the finalists. We look forward to seeing you this afternoon and celebrating the amazing achievements across the sector.💙

10/09/2026

SoNAR Running Man – Big Miles for Tiny Lives 💙

Tomorrow, SoNAR Lead Nurse Patrick is taking on an incredible challenge. He is running over 360 miles in just 14 days to raise funds for Cots for Tots to support the South West Neonatal Advice and Retrieval Service (SoNAR).

Starting in Truro and finishing at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol, Patrick will visit all 12 hospitals in the South West network supported by SoNAR. It’s an extraordinary challenge, with daily runs between 22 and 38 miles, climbing almost the vertical height of Everest.

👉 Please join us in cheering Patrick on and supporting this amazing challenge: https://rebrand.ly/lls02wl

08/09/2026

The school holidays might be over, but the fun doesn’t have to stop there. It’s officially LESS THAN A WEEK TO GO until Grand Walk 2026. 🎉

https://link.grandappeal.org.uk/grandwalk26

Join us on Sunday 13 September for a sponsored stroll or roll around Ashton Court and see if you can spot some familiar Gromit Unleashed sculptures along the way. Including classic Wallace, Gromit and Gromit Unleashed 3’s ‘Scone with the Wind’, there are plenty of surprises in store. 🤫😉

Plus, enjoy a range of mouth-watering food and family-friendly entertainment to round off the day. ☀️

Sound good? Grab your spot today. ⭐

Grand Walk makes fundraising fun for all! Grab friends, family or colleagues and join us for a sponsored walk around Ashton Court on Sunday 13 September.

06/09/2026

A few weeks back, we celebrated our crafty Cots for Tots volunteers at our annual Knitters’ Tea Party. 🧶

In case you didn’t know, we have an army of knitters and crocheters who create beautiful items that are sold in support of St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). 💖

As our way of saying thank you, our volunteers were invited to enjoy a cup of tea (or two), a slice of cake (or two) and a natter with fellow knitters. 🫖🍰

This year was an extra special occasion, as we celebrated NICU Nurse Emma, who has now officially raised £60,000 for sick babies through selling our knitter’s fabulous creations.

Please join us in saying another huge thank you to our Emma and our team of knitters. 🎉

02/09/2026

Please join us in wishing our incredible team of fundraisers the very best of luck as they take on the Three Peaks Challenge this weekend! They'll be conquering Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon to raise vital funds for sick babies and children across the South West.

Thank you for your commitment, determination and incredible support. We'll be cheering you on every step. 💙

➡️Feeling inspired? Find ways to fundraise that work for you https://rebrand.ly/8fi