A very personal interaction with one of our team members has led to Wellworking’s decision to support the  Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity as our Charity of the Year for 2025.

Every January, our staff nominate and vote for a charity that we would like to support over the course of the next twelve months. In the past, this has included both national charities such as Samaritans and Cancer Research UK, as well as smaller ones such as Young Minds and Men’s Minds Matter.

But for Emma Hackney, our After Sales Manager, there was just one charity that she wanted to support, and the rest of the staff agreed. This is her story:

“I nominated Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity as Wellworking’s Charity of the Year due to the profound impact it had on our family during my son Austin’s three-week stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Glasgow Royal Hospital for Children last year. 

Born four weeks prematurely due to reduced movements, Austin had severe health complications and was in a critical condition. 

Thanks to the incredible medical team at Glasgow, Austin’s life was saved. He’s now a thriving, active little boy, and we are forever grateful for their expertise and care.

Throughout our time in the NICU, Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity played a vital role in making an incredibly difficult situation more bearable. 

One of the hardest aspects of our experience was being separated from Austin overnight and not knowing how he was doing. 

Thanks to the funding of Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, they have a system called V-Create, which allowed the nurses to take videos and photos of Austin when we couldn’t be there. 

Each morning, I would eagerly check my phone for updates. The images and videos, including the first picture of Austin without tubes, and the moment he opened his eyes, provided immeasurable comfort and helped us feel connected during those anxious days.

Due to Austin’s fragile condition, we were unable to hold him for the first few weeks. 

During this time, we were provided with Miniboos which are also funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. 

Miniboos are comforters designed to help babies in NICU feel close to their parents. One blanket (known as a 'boo') is typically given to Mum who keeps this close to her chest, and another is kept inside the baby's incubator. The blankets are then swapped regularly between the baby and their mother to allow them to feel close to one another.

This simple yet powerful gesture not only offered comfort to Austin but also provided us with a way to bond with him during a time when holding him wasn’t possible.

Even now, Austin enjoys playing with the Miniboos, and they remain a cherished symbol of those early days.

The experience of having a newborn in NICU often means missing out on the traditional milestones of parenthood. However, the dedicated team at Glasgow Royal Hospital for Children made sure that we created meaningful memories, despite the challenges.

One of the most treasured mementos we have is a set of footprints from Little Inky Feet, another service funded by the charity. This reminder of Austin’s early days is something we will hold forever.

I’ve only touched on a few of the services the hospital offers, but there were countless small gestures that meant the world to us as a family. We received a daily diary, which the nurse began, allowing us to track Austin’s journey. They also provided milestone cards specific to the unique milestones Austin experienced in the NICU, along with many other thoughtful resources. 

No parent expects to find themselves in a NICU with their newborn, but the unwavering support and care we received from the Glasgow Children’s Hospital team gave us hope and strength every day. 

As a family, we are deeply committed to giving back to the charity that made such a profound difference in our lives. Supporting Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity is an opportunity for us to express our gratitude and ensure that other families in need receive the same invaluable support.”

The children’s hospital in Glasgow is the largest in Scotland, caring for more than 200,000 children each year from across the country. Cardiac, cleft palette surgery, bone marrow and kidney transplants are just some of the key national services that are located there.

Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity relies on donations to fund life-changing equipment, support services and research at the hospital for the very young like Austin, right through to families with teenagers.

The charity also needs to raise £100,000 a year to fund its Financial Inclusion Service which serves as a lifeline for many families facing a long stay in hospital.

There are many initiatives that the charity plays a huge part in and Wellworking is delighted to be able to support their work. We’ll be taking part in fitness challenges, bake-offs and other events to fundraise for this essential work and our staff will also volunteer their time to help out at the hospital itself.

As a team, we know first-hand how beneficial their amazing support is to families like Emma’s, so if you can also donate using our JustGiving link below, your support will help more children and families during their most difficult days.

Follow us on social media to keep up to date with what we’re doing in 2025 for  Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.