A POPULAR coffee shop has held a week of fundraising to help its owners give something back to the team who cared for their daughter during an urgent hospital transfer.
Rosie Pinder and Josh Walton, who own PRESS in Hartford, welcomed their little girl Elsie into the world in March earlier this year.
Unfortunately, shortly after her birth, Elsie required urgent specialist neonatal care and needed to be transferred from Leighton Hospital to Arrowe Park Hospital.
Little Elsie was taken to the Wirral hospital for specialist cooling treatment via blue-light ambulance in the care of Connect North West, a neonatal transport team.
The experience left Rosie and Josh determined to give something back to transport team who where there for the family during an incredibly frightening time.
As such, at the beginning of September, the couple hosted a charity week at their Chester Road coffee shop, raising more than £2,200 for Connect North West and almost £3,000 for St Luke's Hospice, another cause close to their hearts.
Rosie said: “We will never forget the care Elsie and our family received that day.
"The Connect North West team arrived when we needed them most and gave us not only the specialist care Elsie needed, but reassurance and kindness during what was an incredibly frightening experience.
“Charity Week was our way of saying thank you and helping make sure this vital service can continue to support other babies and families.
"Seeing how many people have got behind it has been incredibly emotional for us."
Across the charity week, PRESS hosted a series of fundraising activities and events, culminating in a 24-hour relay organised by its PRESS ON Run Club.
Customers were encouraged to get involved through a number of activities, including its PRESS & Prams mum walk, a coffee bean guessing competition, and 'Pawtraits at PRESS', where customers could make donations while celebrating the coffee shop’s dog friendly community.
The 24-hour relay began at 9.30am on Saturday, September 5, with runners continuously keeping a single baton moving through every leg, which started and ended at PRESS, before finishing at 9.30am the following day.
Charlotte Fraser, one of the organisers with PRESS ON, said: “We knew the 24-hour relay was going to be a challenge, but the support from the PRESS ON community and everyone who came down to run, cheer us on or donate was incredible.
“There were people running throughout the day and night, and it really showed what can happen when a community comes together behind a cause.
"We’re so proud to have raised almost £3,000 for St Luke’s.”
Rosie and Josh added: “We honestly couldn’t have asked for more from our community. PRESS has always been about more than coffee for us - it’s about creating a place where people feel welcome and connected.
“This week proved exactly that. We’ve been completely blown away by everyone who donated, took part, ran, walked, sponsored us, shared our posts or simply turned up to support the events.
“A huge thank you to every single person and local business who helped make Charity Week such a success.”
With donations still coming in, PRESS hopes the final fundraising total - which stands at more than £5,200 - will continue to grow.
Share