One in Eleven Leighton Hospital appeal receives £1.5million donation

The One in Eleven Appeal has received a massive £1.5 million donation from the Frank Hockenhull Trust.

It’s the biggest single donation ever received by Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s (MCHFT) charitable fund.

And it means the appeal, to create a neo-natal unit at Leighton Hospital, has almost reached its £1.8 milllion target.

It also means the project can be brought forward by 18 months, with preparatory work likely to start in spring 2013.

The appeal is still £20,000 from its goal and supporters are asked to keep going with their vital fundraising.

Tracy Bullock, chief executive of MCHFT, said: “We never dreamt that something as astonishing as this would happen and we are incredibly surprised and moved by the generosity of the Frank Hockenhull Trust.

“On behalf of our staff, parents, little babies and visitors we would like to extend our sincere gratitude for this donation.

“This donation makes it a certainty that the new unit will go ahead, and that we can start putting plans into action now. However we still need a last push so that we can achieve what we want and possibly make it even better.”

Frank Hockenhull has been a businessman in Crewe and Nantwich for 60 years.

His wife Felicity worked at Leighton Hospital for 26 years until 1994. She has now passed away and the Frank Hockenhull Trust wanted to benefit the hospital and the people of Crewe and Nantwich in her memory.

A spokesman for the Frank Hockenhull Trust said: “We are very pleased to be able to help the One in Eleven Appeal and look forward to seeing the new unit take shape. Felicity would have been very proud to be a part of it.”

Around £280,000 had already been raised by dedicated local supporters of the appeal.

Appeal fundraising manager Laura Bailey said: “We value every single donation that has helped bring us to this point.

“We have been completely overwhelmed with the support from local people for the appeal and without them we would still be some way from our target. Now we need people to stick with us in this final hurdle.”