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Bath crematorium’s £12,000 donation to support critically ill babies and children
Funds raised during a metal recycling scheme at Haycombe Crematorium have been donated to support the important, lifesaving work of the Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA).
The Children’s Air Ambulance is a national lifesaving high-speed transfer service – flying critically ill babies and children in clinically designed helicopters from one hospital to another for specialist care.
The charity has 11 NHS Clinical Partner Teams across the UK, including Wales and West Acute Transport for Children (WATCh) and Newborn Emergency Stabilisation & Transport Team (NEST) based in Bristol.
Haycombe Cemetery and Crematorium opened in 1937 and is one of only two open cemeteries administered by Bath & North East Somerset Council and the only one in Bath. The team at Haycombe handed over an extremely generous donation of £12,000 to support the vital children’s charity.
The not-for-profit Recycling of Metals Scheme is run by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management (ICCM), of which Bath & North East Somerset Council is a member. Members of the scheme recycle artificial hips, rods and screws and donate the funds to a worthwhile cause.
Councillor Dine Romero, cabinet member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture said: “Through the recycling of metals scheme we have been able to make a second charity donation this year to an essential service, The Children’s Air Ambulance provides a fantastic, life-saving service and without it, many children would not be here now. This service really deserves our support.”
The recycling process is put in place to not only help the environment, but to provide potential benefits for deserving charities.
TCAA Community Fundraising Executive Fiona Franklin said, “On behalf of the charity I’d like to say a big thank you to the amazing team at Haycombe Cemetery and Crematorium and Bath & North East Somerset Council for their incredible donation, meaning we can continue to provide our vital service for babies and children”.
“Each potentially lifesaving mission costs £3500, and the support from our local communities and businesses are paramount as we receive no government funding and rely solely on donations. Every donation received will go towards keeping the Children’s Air Ambulance flying and the specialist equipment needed for this,” she added.
The children’s charity will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in due course, so to find out more and how to support the charity, visit www.childrensairambulance.org.uk or call 0300 3045 999.