Volunteers took part in a marathon golfing day to provide a boost for Brighton’s cutting-edge neonatal intensive care unit.
The father of a child saved by the unit organised the challenge – to play three local golf courses in one day.
The event raised £3,000 for the life-changing work at the Trevor Mann Baby Unit.
The event was called “50 Holes for 50 Years” in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Rockinghorse Children’s Charity, a key supporter of the Trevor Mann Baby Unit.
Event organiser Sam Thomas and his wife Kelly were inspired to raise funds for Rockinghorse after their son Luca suffered a prolapsed cord and required emergency treatment.
Luca, 2, has recently been given the all-clear but when he was a baby he spent four weeks on the unit, at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, before finally being allowed home.
Mr Thomas works as managing director at FirmBalls, the five-a-side business football league company, and the company joined him golfing for a good cause.
Mr Thomas said: “My wife and I, along with the FirmBalls team, were overwhelmed with the support from so many people to help make my 50 Holes for 50 Years charity challenge a great success.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that sponsored me and supported the event, including those that joined me on the way round – especially Jamie Salvidge from SO Legal who completed all 50 holes with me.
“A very special mention to my good friend James Farrands from HSBC who not only joined me on the day but secured match funding from HSBC to help us raise over £3,000 for this amazing charity.
“We will be forever grateful for the relentless hard work of the doctors and nurses at the Trevor Mann Baby Unit who kept our son alive and hope that the funds raised from this event will help those whom we literally owe our lives.
“This is just the start of my fundraising journey – see you next year for the 51 Holes challenge!”
A cheque was presented to Rockinghorse head of fundraising Analiese Doctrove and Trevor Mann neonatal sister Jackie Cherry, who helped care for Luca when he was on the unit.
