West Brom Building Society raises £30,000 for children's hospital fund

The West Brom Building Society raised the cash through its Red Balloon Appeal Account, a special savings product designed to benefit both customers and the hospital.

Interest earned on people's savings is effectively shared, with a proportion creating an annual bonus payment that Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity can invest in enhancing patient care.

The funds will be used to support play and recreation at the hospital for children of all ages. Play is an essential part of a patient's experience, as children who are happy and relaxed cope better with their treatment and recover a lot quicker than those who are more anxious. Play also gives patients and their families a degree of normality, allowing them to make memories at their child's bedside and take a much-needed break from the stress and worry of life in hospital.

Saranne Moreno, head of corporate strategic partnerships for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We are so thankful to the West Brom and its members for their ongoing support.

"This is even more critical, as our charity is likely to feel the impact of fundraising events being cancelled due to Covid-19, and businesses who are unable to continue their support due to the challenges they face as a result of the pandemic.

“However, the vital service our hospital provides to young patients and their families must continue.

Inspire

" Our charity helps to fund a team of 12 Play and Recreation Facilitators and Workers who help more than 250 children and families every single day, so donations like this from The West Brom are important in helping us raise the £300,000 needed every year to allow us to continue bringing play to our brave children.”

Jonathan Westhoff, the West Brom’s chief executive, added: “Our long-standing partnership with Birmingham’s Children Hospital continues to inspire us with the fantastic work they do for the children, this being more important than ever during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Through this partnership, we’re able to see the impact on the funds we raise and can provide real benefits for the young people at the hospital.

“We want to thank all those who have a Red Balloon Savings account because without them this donation wouldn’t be possible, and we look forward to continuing to support the hospital now and in the future.”

The West Brom has been in partnership with the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity for more than 14 years, supporting various fundraising initiatives and providing opportunities for staff to volunteer during working hours to give their time as well as funds to the Hospital.

Based in West Bromwich, the West Brom is the UK’s seventh largest building society with 36 branches and around 430,000 members.