Rockinghorse Children’s Charity asks supporters to make this New Year a happy one

At the beginning of 2022, charity asks if you can help them make someone smile.

Winter can be gloomy, with dark mornings, cold weather and not much to look forward to. Which is why this new year Rockinghorse are hoping to inspire you to make it a happier time of year.

We all know that doing something for ourselves, or even better for others, can make us feel good, but it’s so much more than that. It can also improve our mental health and wellbeing, helping us face those dark winter days with a smile, knowing we’ve done something that really makes a difference.

So, could you make someone happy this new year? It could be making yourself smile by achieving a new goal such as running your first half marathon. Or it could be asking your friends and family to sponsor you in your challenge which will help bring a smile to a sick child this year. 

But anything you do to support the charity, even something as simple as making a donation to Rockinghorse, can help make a child’s visit to hospital a happier one.  

Across Sussex thousands of babies, children and young people spend time in hospital or health care settings every year. This could be a one-off visit to A&E or regular appointments to manage a long-term health condition. 

Whatever the reason, it’s so important to us to make these experiences as happy as possible, helping children just enjoy being children.

Janella Merritt, Head of Fundraising at Rockinghorse, explains why it can be difficult to understand how one person can make a difference. She said: “It might not feel like you can make a big impact. How can doing something that makes me happy, also make someone I don’t know happy? But every single pound that our supporters raise really does do this.

“It goes towards cutting edge equipment for hospitals that make treatment as simple, safe and quick as possible for young patients. Equipment like new neonatal ventilators that we are currently raising funds for that are specifically designed to help babies under 5kg be nursed at the Alex, meaning they don’t have to travel far from home to be treated and reducing the time they stay in hospital.

“That pound also goes towards helping children with speech and language issues and learning disabilities access the education they need. Your support will help us fund a new sensory room at the Pupil Referral Unit in Brighton so that children can be accurately assessed and receive the right help to return to school.”

So, this new year, why not think about how something you could do to feel good will also help someone else feel happy. Just look at the Rockinghorse events page to find a challenge or event you could sign up for.

And have a very happy start to 2022.

www.rockinghorse.org.uk