London Incubator Ball raises record-breaking amount for premature and sick babies

Charity Ball a roaring success

Appeals funded for Vital Neonatal Equipment

All funds raised support Ickle Pickles and their appeals for a LifeStart™ Resuscitaire and a Transport Ventilator.

The team at the Royal London Hospital’s neonatal unit have an urgent need for a new Transport Ventilator to complement their failing Transport Incubator rig. A replacement will help ensure that up to 800 babies per year are transferred safely.

A Resuscitaire helps stabilise a baby after birth, whilst providing optimal care to the baby in close proximity to the mother when the baby is delivered. It will be of great benefit to sick and premature babies and their families at Homerton Hospital.

The evening’s fundraising activities to raise money for this essential neonatal equipment, included an exclusive silent auction kindly sponsored by John F Hunt and an Incubator Draw with the top prize of a Spa Package for two at Banya No.1, Hoxton, two tickets to Banana Cabaret Comedy & dinner at The Bedford. Many other incredible prizes for the auction and Incubator Draw were all donated by Australian Vintners, The Norfolk Mead, Novotel West London, T-Cakes and many other generous individuals and businesses.

Hosted by the charity's co-founder and trustee, Andrew Marsh and Ben Harvey, the event was a testament to the power of community and compassion.

An Emotional Highlight

With a room full of elegantly dressed guests, Lorraine Blackburn took to the stage and shared her personal journey, leaving no eye dry. Her heartfelt words resonated deeply with everyone in attendance, as she spoke about the challenges and triumphs of having premature and sick babies.

A highlight of the evening, she told guests the moving story of her late son Owen:

“Out of all of this heartache, one thing we knew is that we did not lose Owen in vain and I am a strong believer that he was brought into this world to make change happen.

As a family, we are passionate about supporting others who are going through the neonatal journey. This is where the wonderful Ickle Pickles entered our world. Ickle Pickles were looking for volunteers to work with local neonatal units being the link between the NICU and the charity itself.

My nickname for Owen was Pickle so this just felt even more fitting. I jumped at the chance. This allowed me to keep Owen’s memory alive and support some incredible neonatal units looking after some of the smallest and sickest of babies.

This became our opportunity to say ‘Thank You’. Thank you for giving us the most wonderful 12 weeks of our lives. We may have lost our beautiful boy Owen but we got to love him in person for 12 weeks and in our hearts forever.”

Lorraine's story was not just a recount of difficulties but a celebration of hope, resilience, and the support that organisations like Ickle Pickles provide to families in need.

A Night to Remember

Following Lorraine's speech, the event continued with its mission to raise funds for the charity with a live auction, hosted by auctioneer Andrew Morris.

The Ickle Pickles Children's Charity was delighted to entertain guests with a mind-blowing show by mindreader Matt Daniel Baker, a 360° video booth and live music by the fantastic Groove Zoo band concluding a brilliant night with dancing and drinks.

Thanks to the generosity of all the incredible attendees, a record-breaking amount was raised to improve neonatal care. Ickle Pickles thanks their generous supporters who helped make this their most successful Incubator Ball.

Additional thanks to Round Turner Visuals for documenting the night. Special thanks to all of Ickle Pickles’ volunteers. From welcoming guests to tidying up afterwards and everything in between, they made a huge difference to the overall success of this event.

Watch the highlights of the night on Youtube