This is how you can still help Sheffield Children's Hospital during the coronavirus crisis

With events cancelled, businesses closed and enforced social distancing, Sheffield Children’s Hospital's dedicated charity has seen a substantial decline in its fundraising as the economic impact of coronavirus continues.

However, charity bosses have said it is still possible to help the hospital during this period, and have produced a list of things you can do to help.

Charity Director, David Vernon-Edwards said the continued support of members of the public was more crucial now than ever.

He said: “We are already feeling the impact of cancelled events and the shutdown across the community that supports us. As a result, our ability to support the amazing work at Sheffield Children’s will suffer.

“Many of our supporters have spent hours preparing for races or fundraising events which have now been cancelled or postponed because of COVID-19. We can’t meet together to do what we planned, because we need to stop the spread of the virus as quickly as possible.

“However, right now staff at Sheffield Children’s are working day and night to support the public throughout the crisis, going above and beyond to care and protect some of the most vulnerable members of society. So, we need your help more than ever.”

Below are just a few ways you can still donate or raise money for The Children's Hospital Charity during the lockdown – but the only real limit is your imagination.

How to donate

You can still donate to The Children’s Hospital Charity in several ways at this critical time.

Text: To donate £5, message SHEFFCHILDRENS to 70085. This costs £5 plus your standard message rate.

Online: Visit www.tchc.org.uk/donate to give online.

Over the phone: Call 0114 321 2470 to donate by card payment.

Helping from home

The restrictions have not stopped some supporters of The Children’s Hospital Charity doing their best to help from home.

Among them are sisters 10-year-old Lowri and 7-year-old Bronywn Jones from Wickersley, who decided to donate their spending money over the next three months to support Sheffield Children’s. They gave a total of £157.50 and sent a photo to show their appreciation.

9-year-old Zack Jones from Rotherham shaved his hair to support a friend undergoing treatment on the Cancer and Leukaemia ward. Zack raised almost £500 through a Facebook fundraiser.

Print and creative agency CCM launched an interactive online quiz to support The Children’s Hospital Charity. The first ‘Local Heroes Quiz’ raised over £300 on Friday (3rd April).

Dan Faulkner from Chesterfield was due to take on an Ironman triathlon which was postponed. Undeterred, he recreated the experience in his back garden with the help of his son Max and a water pistol!

The Children’s Hospital Charity have also launched Theo’s ’30 in 30 challenge’ so you can make a difference while you distance. The aim is to raise £30 in 30 days by keeping active- how you move is up to you, as long as you do something every day.

Sign up here: www.tchc.org.uk/how-you-can-help/events/theos-30-in-30.html

Planning Future Fundraising

There are also fundraising ideas on how you can help on The Charity website, you could organise a virtual coffee morning to keep in touch with loved ones, a sponsored step challenge or a movie night-in: www.tchc.org.uk/how-you-can-help/virtual-fundraising.html

You can also set up a JustGiving page for The Children’s Hospital Charity or start a fundraiser on Facebook. There are also places available to support the Charity in the rearranged Sheffield Half Marathon and 10K (27th September), a sponsored Skydive (10th October) and the Yorkshire Marathon (18th October).

You can get in touch with The Charity Team about any events or ideas at [email protected] or 0114 321 2470.

Leaving a Gift

You can also change lives by remembering Sheffield Children’s in your Will.

Any gift, large or small, helps fund research into the prevention and cure of childhood illnesses, new facilities to extend the range of treatment and improvements to the hospital environment.

If you write a will with Irwin Mitchell, they will offer you a discounted fee and make a donation to The Children’s Hospital Charity – you can contact them on 0330 123 0882 or [email protected].

Just quote ‘TCHC’ when you get in touch.