Rockinghorse at 50

Rockinghorse Children’s Charity has revealed its 50^th year plans during a special launch event at the Hilton Brighton Metropole hotel in Brighton last week.

200 guests, including representatives from local businesses, schools, community groups, trusts, and individual donors, were invited to find out more about the charity’s plans as it prepares to celebrate its 50^th anniversary next year.

Guests were greeted outside the seafront hotel with the newly launched Rockinghorse bus, in partnership with Brighton & Hove Buses, which marks the charity’s forthcoming Golden Jubilee anniversary in 2017. The bus pays homage to Dr Trevor Mann, founder of Rockinghorse, by bearing his name on the front.

During the evening, Ryan Heal, Chief Executive of Rockinghorse, launched the charity’s fundraising appeal in celebration of their anniversary year; Sussex Giving for Sussex Children.

The charity aims to provide £500,000 worth of funding which will be split between 10 children’s centres and paediatric services in Sussex to help them improve, refurbish, and develop their environment for the young people benefiting from their work.

They are; The Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital (‘The Alex’ in Brighton), the Trevor Mann Baby Unit (‘TMBU’, located within the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton), the Special Care Baby Unit (‘SCBU’, based within the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath), Bluefin Ward at Worthing Hospital, Chailey Heritage Foundation (in Lewes), Chalkhill Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit (in Haywards Heath), Finches Short Breaks Centre (in Burgess Hill), The Bungalow (in Eastbourne), Tudor House (in Brighton) and The Connor Saunders Foundation (based in Brighton).

Mr Heal said: “2017 represents our Golden Jubilee – a time for celebration and continuing to make a real impact on the lives of local children. We are delighted to launch our fundraising appeal for our anniversary year; Sussex Giving for Sussex Children. By supporting services across Sussex, we can continue the legacy of the work of Rockinghorse, enabling us to support children and young people for the next 50 years.

“Time moves on, but for 50 years our message has remained the same. As the late great Dr Trevor Mann said – ‘We can’t always stop children getting sick, but with your help we can make them better’.”

Founded by Dr Trevor Mann in 1967, Rockinghorse has had a huge impact on thousands of local children during this time, having been created following the recognition of a shortfall and restrictions around paediatric care in Sussex.

50 years on, Rockinghorse is best known as the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital (The Alex) in Brighton, working tirelessly to improve, and save, the lives of sick children in Sussex. The charity has provided The Alex with the best, cutting-edge medical equipment, and are often cited as the difference between good care and great care for our children.

Lady Mary Mumford DCVO, Lady-in-Waiting to HRH Princess Alexandra and Rockinghorse’s one and only Patron, sent a message of support to the charity. She said: “When Dr Trevor Mann invited me to become Patron of Rockinghorse 50 years ago, I never envisaged celebrating our Golden Jubilee. It has been an honour and a privilege to be the charity’s only Patron for every one of those 50 years.

“I wish everyone involved with Rockinghorse a very special year and here’s to the next half century of extraordinary work helping our sick children.”

By supporting Rockinghorse, you can help continue to ensure children’s services across Sussex are the best they possibly can be for our children now, and in the future. To find out more about the charity’s 50^th year projects, and how you can get involved, please visit rockinghorse.org.uk.