University Royal Naval Unit Birmingham (BURNU) have demonstrated their commitment to supporting local causes by selecting Fisher House UK as its beneficiary for the year. Fisher House provides military patients and their families with a “home away from home” whilst their loved ones receive hospital care. This invaluable service provides accommodation to both serving personnel and veterans and offers financial and logistical support to alleviate the stresses associated with a loved one being in the hospital.
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital serves as the receiving hospital for all the UK’s military, and when a member of the military or a veteran is admitted, it is likely they have travelled a significant distance. This poses a logistical problem for families who must also travel to visit their loved ones, adding additional cost and stress during an already difficult time.
Fisher House is an 18-bedroom facility that offers accommodation to military families during this challenging time. Each bedroom is en-suite and offers a comfortable and relaxed environment for families staying there. Families are not charged for their stay, so the financial burden of finding hotel rooms is alleviated. Medical professionals say that having their family close and being cared for can be beneficial to a patient’s recovery. Additionally, families staying at Fisher House can access welfare services to help address any financial issues resulting from their loved one’s illness or injury.
Fisher House is a non-profit organisation and relies solely on donations to continue its vital work. In response to this, BURNU came up with a unique fundraising scheme to support Fisher House. They used the charity’s local mascot, a 6ft fuzzy bear costume, to hike up mount Snowdon. They extended the challenge by ensuring officer cadets climbed in fancy dress to make a positive impression on locals, raise funds and make this even more of a challenge.
Upon arrival, the team was warmly greeted by locals who were impressed by their initiative and amused by the sight of the unit in their fancy dress attire. The group used the opportunity to spread the word about the charity and collect donations whist they climbed. The exercise was a remarkable success, with the team rallying together to raise a total of £1,820, more than 80% of their target. The local engagement has been a highlight, with more people becoming aware of the amazing work Fisher House does in the community for the Armed Forces.
Fisher House has kindly invited the Birmingham University Royal Naval Unit to see the impact of their work, and the team looks forward to engaging with them again in the future. In summary, one of the newer officer cadets stated that “the exercise was the right amount of challenging and fun, climbing the mountain in fancy dress and bringing smiles to everyone we passed was a nice experience. I’m so happy we could raise so much for Fisher House, because their work is amazing!”
Find out more about the work of this wonderful charity.
Find out more about BURNU.
Like the challenge BURNU completed and would like to sponsor them – https://www.gofundme.com/f/mount-snowden-fancy-dress-climb
Published 10/05/2023
