The charity is dedicated to ensuring more babies survive and have the best quality of life. And it's only through incredible support of supporter, donors and strategic partners that they are able to achieve so much.

Whilst advances in technology have resulted in more babies surviving there are chronic shortages of specialist nurses to provide the care. Some mothers and babies are transported hundreds of miles just to find a cot in a neonatal unit with the right facilities.

Bliss is committed to addressing this crisis by:

• Campaigning for improvement in neonatal care - working closely with Government and other key policymaking bodies.
• Supporting parents and families through a wide range of support and information services.
• Promoting new developments and innovations in care by supporting health professional development, medical innovation as well as helping the spread of good practice throughout the neonatal sector.

Since Bliss was registered nearly £18million has been raised towards helping babies born too soon, too small, underweight or too sick to cope on their own.

Take a moment to visit their website where you can view their work, and what they have achieved over the last 25years. You can also read their success stories and where the money raised has gone to help premature babies. www.bliss.org.uk

Braving the Waves File

Nursery Industry this month travelled to Nottingham to help raise money for Bliss. Look at how our day unfolded!!

6.00 am - We all arrived in the company car park all wide awake and rearing to go.

6.45 am - A major detour on the M25 took us on country roads most of the way to Nottingham, very scenic, but also very long.

9.10 am - We eventually arrive at the centre, ten minutes late and very disorganised. We were then all taken through our training and given our wetsuits (which I would like to add were freezing!) to change into.

9.30 am - After being given our boat, instructor, and paddles we were then taken to the rapids!!! This was the start of the experience of a lifetime!!!!!

10.00 am - So far we had managed to keep within the small confines of a blow-up dingy. It was explained earlier in our training, if you think you're going to fall, you fall. This way you land safely and everyone remains in the dry (yeah right!)

It was emphasised 'don't hold on to anything or anyone'. Laura then decided after coming out of a rapid, that she didn't want to fall on her own, and lunged to the other side of the dingy, grabbed the rope and toppled the 'whole boat', which consisted six rafters and a very upset instructor into the dark, murky waters of the river.

When I say it was freezing, I am not exaggerating, the water leaked into every hole, trouser leg, sleeve and collar. Everyone surfaced, coughing and spluttering, to then be told to get back into the boat ready for round 2!!!

11.30 am - At this particular rafting centre they had the facilities for the rafters to be able to jump into a rapid and get thrown around by the water safely. We all had a couple of goes, and then went back to the centre to change into dry, warm clothing.

The whole team thoroughly enjoyed themselves and recommend it to everyone. If you would like to experience white water rafting, and raise money for Bliss then please contact the telephone number below for an information pack.

CONTACT DETAILS

Telephone: 0207 3781122 or email: information@bliss.org.uk or visit www.bliss.org.uk

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