Bereaved parents raise £30,000 for Portsmouth NICU

Robyn and Ryan Bendon's charity, Jesse's Dreams, has donated £30,000 to Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust's neonatal intensive care unit. The pair founded the charity after their son Jesse, who was was born at just under 24 weeks' gestation, unfortunately died. To raise this amount, they organised a two-day Wickham music festival, cake sales, a cabaret music night and auctions.

The funds will be used to buy a new incubator worth over £22k and breast milk warming machines costing more than £7k. The money will also purchase diaries and a roll of silk, as the premature babies lie on silk to prevent bed sores.

"Raising this amount for the unit feels amazing. Losing Jesse was devastating, but knowing we can help save other babies means an enormous amount," say Robyn and Ryan.

Senior Sister Joanne Church says: "This donation means so much to the unit and will go a long way in helping the babies being looked after here. We are so thankful to Robyn and Ryan and for everyone who has contributed to the amount."