Berkshire charity receives £5,000 donation from The Cadbury Foundation

Berkshire-based charity, Babies in Buscot Support (BIBS), has been chosen to receive a £5,000 grant from local employees at Mondelēz International.

The local charity that supports babies and their families in the special care baby unit (Buscot Ward) at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, has been granted the substantial donation from The Cadbury Foundation, as part of its ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ scheme.

Every year, all Mondelēz International UK employees are invited to nominate wellbeing-related charities or projects close to their hearts to receive a large donation, with the final shortlisted charities up for vote amongst fellow colleagues.

Babies in Buscot Support was one of 12 charities from across the UK to receive a substantial donation. The charity helps sick and premature babies and their families on Buscot Ward, which cares for babies around the clock and seven days a week to provide lifesaving neonatal care to those in need.

The donation will help the charity continue to invest in life-saving equipment such as ventilators, incubators, cardiac monitors and the charity has just recently purchased a brand Transport Incubator costing £32,000. It can also help the charity improve the ward facilities such as the family room, parent flats and quiet room.

The donation will also enable the provision of specialist technology, V-Create Secure Messaging, that helps families keep in touch with their babies and ease separation anxiety, as well as fund 2 Family Support Workers to provide independent emotional support for families.

Kate Wyatt, senior quality officer at Mondelēz International’s site in Reading, nominated the charity to receive the grant. Kate said: “Having had two premature babies on the ward and supported by BIBS myself, I saw first-hand the incredible work they do to raise funds for life-saving equipment.

“Support and facilities for babies and families on the ward is invaluable. My eldest son was born 13 weeks premature and had a 50% chance of survival, and without the incredible work BIBS do in supporting Buscot neonatal ward, he may not have been here today, so I’m forever grateful of the charity.”

Sarah Critchley, CEO of BIBS, commented: “We were overwhelmed to have been chosen to receive this substantial grant, especially to discover the donation has come from an employee who our team have helped first-hand.

“The last two years have been incredibly difficult for our small, local charity and our funding has dropped by over 40%. This donation will go towards all of our charitable work and is enough to fund a Family Support Worker – dedicated to supporting the emotional well-being of parents of sick and premature babies – for over 6 months.

The Cadbury Foundation was set up in 1935 in recognition of Richard and George Cadbury and their investment in the welfare of their employees and the local community. Across all Mondelēz International UK sites, £65,000 has been donated to charities, projects and clubs across the country as part its ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ scheme.

Kelly Farrell, community affairs manager at Mondelēz International, commented: “We’re extremely proud to be able to support the charities that are important to our employees through our ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ initiative each year.

“We’re delighted to know that with The Cadbury Foundation’s donation, BIBS will be able to support even more babies and their families and continue doing their life-saving and incredible work.”

For more information on The Cadbury Foundation, please visit www.cadbury.co.uk/cadbury-foundation, and for further details on BIBS, head to www.bibs.org.uk.

About The Cadbury Foundation

The Cadbury Foundation was founded in 1935 in recognition of our company founders’ investment in the welfare of their employees and communities. Today, the Foundation’s ethos acknowledges this heritage, supporting community programmes and charity partners with a focus on wellbeing, skills and passions of our colleagues.

About Babies in Buscot Support

BIBS (Babies in Buscot Support) is a registered charity that supports babies and their families in the special care baby unit (Buscot Ward) at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

Formed in 1987, the organisation supports new-born babies and their families through a range of specialist services and facilities.