Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS and Charity

12/05/2026

This International Nurses Day, we’re celebrating the dedication, compassion and expertise of our nurses at Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust 💙

As Sheffield Children’s marks 150 years of caring for children and young people, research remains at the heart of our mission - helping us deliver outstanding care and discover better treatments for the future.

Kerry Forrest joined Sheffield Children’s as a Research Nurse in January 2025. Originally trained in photography, Kerry first discovered the hospital while working freelance on events for the charity team.

“The time I spent in the hospital inspired me to retrain and do a nursing degree,” Kerry explains.

After qualifying, Kerry worked in neonatal care before developing a passion for clinical research, inspired by the rapid advancements in treatments and technology.

Now working across a number of research trials, Kerry is helping shape the future of children’s healthcare through research and innovation.

“Research nursing is more than just a job. I’ve already witnessed the astounding difference research makes to children and their families. Being part of this journey is extremely rewarding.”

Thank you to Kerry and to all our incredible nurses for the vital role you play every single day. 🌟

09/05/2026

As we mark 150 years of Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and 50 years of Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, we continue to share the inspiring stories of the amazing children and families at the heart of everything we do 💛

Four-year-old Jonah has spent much of his young life under the care of Sheffield Children’s after being diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease. Born with fractures and facing countless treatments, surgeries and hospital visits, Jonah’s journey has been far from easy - but through it all, he has continued to thrive with his cheeky personality and determination shining through.

His mum, Jen, said: “There is no cure, just adaptations we can try and make to help Jonah live his life… Sheffield Children’s Hospital does an incredible job of making sure we can help prevent fractures as much as possible.”

Inspired by the “world-class” care Jonah receives, his family have become dedicated fundraisers for the charity, taking on challenges including the Yorkshire Three Peaks, Tough Mudder and the Great North Run - raising more than £5,000 to help support other children like Jonah.

Dad, Jason, said: “Jonah will never be able to do these sorts of challenges, but we can do it for him. We try to raise as much as possible to help him in the future, as well as other kids who live the same reality and restrictions that Osteogenesis Imperfecta brings.”

Thanks to supporters like Team Jonah, we can continue funding care, specialist equipment, research and environments that help children feel safe, supported and cared for every step of the way 💛

Read Jonah’s full story on our website here:

A dedicated family has become a team of fundraisers to say thank you for the “world-class” care their four-year-old son, Jonah, receives at Sheffield Children’s.

07/05/2026

Let us take you back to the beginning…

On 15 November 1876, an Infirmary for Children opened at Brightmore House in Sheffield, just down the road from where we are today.

The founders, Mr Webster (an architect), Dr Cleaver (a surgeon) and Mr Vickers (a solicitor), set out to do something important. Not just to treat children, but to improve understanding of childhood illness, support families, and train nurses in caring for children.

From the very beginning, there was a clear belief. That every child deserves outstanding care.

On 14 June 1877, the hospital moved to Western Bank and opened with just eight beds. Visiting was limited to Thursdays and Sundays, from 3pm to 4pm.

Today, we have over 100 beds, and families can stay with their child day and night, either at the bedside or in on-site accommodation.

A lot has changed over the last 150 years, and we must have lost the chaise longue somewhere along the way, but why we’re here hasn’t: Creating healthier futures for children and young people, everywhere.

Look out for more archive photos and stories over the next few weeks.

06/05/2026

NEW ACT ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣

Jon Richardson and Friends Comedy Night at The Comedy Store UK is nearly here, and we're excited to announce that the brilliant Jack Dee is joining the line-up!

The full lineup includes:
Tom Davis
Michelle de Swarte
Matt Forde
Suzi Ruffell

There's still time to get your tickets and join us on Tuesday 12 May in support of the Bright Young Dreams on behalf of Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity.

The campaign exists to raise money, awareness, and action for children’s mental health – starting at Sheffield Children’s and reaching across the UK and beyond.

A huge thank you to our headline sponsor, Portland Clinical, and to sponsors Rowland Scaffold, IPM Group, and Westfield Health for making the event possible.

Grab your tickets now at https://london.thecomedystore.co.uk/event/jon-richardson-and-friends-london-comedy-night-2026

03/05/2026

💛 A huge thank you to everyone who supported us throughout April 💙

Once again, we’ve been blown away by the kindness, generosity and dedication shown over the past month. From fundraising events to volunteering and personal challenges, your support makes such a meaningful difference.

We are so grateful to everyone who supports us, including;

Urban Peaks, who hosted their duathlon in the Peak District.

Virgin Media O2, whose team volunteered their time to help set up our new snowflake storage unit ❄️

KCM Waste Management, for generously providing free skip hire during our storage clear-out.

Alice Hague, Mike Lyons & Paddy Gavin, who took on the Manchester Marathon.

Angela Curtis & Ben Fish, who ran the London Marathon.

Matt Wright, who completed the Milan Marathon.

DSA, who organised a fantastic 5-a-side tournament.

Pagets, who held a fundraiser ahead of their Paris to Calais walk.

And everyone else who supported us this month.

Thank you for your continued support and for helping us make a difference. As we head into May, we’re excited for what’s ahead and grateful to have such an incredible community behind us 💙💛

02/05/2026

🧸If you go down to the hospital… you’re sure of a big surprise! 🧸

Our Teddy Bear Hospital Sheffield welcomed some very special visitors, as children brought their favourite bears and soft toys along for a day of check‑ups, care and cuddles at Sheffield Children’s.

The day was all about using play and imagination to help children learn what happens in hospital, ask questions, and feel more relaxed about healthcare – all while making sure their teddies were feeling tip‑top too!

Families could visit a wide variety of themed rooms and activities, covering topics such as healthy eating, road safety, medical procedures, and home safety.

For 150 years, Sheffield Children’s have provided specialist children’s healthcare, supporting every child’s whole journey with kindness and expertise. Play activities like the Teddy Bear Hospital aren’t just fun, they're central to our care - it reduces anxiety, builds confidence, skills and creates moments of joy for when they’re needed most.

Thank you to our services, volunteers and the wonderful students from the University of Sheffield for creating such a heartwarming day.

02/05/2026

As we mark 150 years of Sheffield Children's and 50 years of Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity, we continue to share the inspiring stories of our supporters, celebrating the amazing children and families at the heart of everything we do.

Iris-Mae is just one of them, and we're so proud that she's let us share her story.

When she was just three months old, her mum, Sarah, noticed a lump on her shin. What followed was a diagnosis of Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) - a condition that causes non-cancerous tumours to develop on and under the skin, affecting blood pressure, eyesight, and the brain and nervous system.

What followed were years of treatment at Sheffield Children’s. Iris-Mae spent many days and nights in hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries as specialist teams worked tirelessly to try to save her left leg. In 2022, after exhausting every option, the difficult decision was made to amputate it.

Sarah said: “There were so many operations, and our amazing specialists had well and truly tried to save her leg. We had the conversation together, and Iris-Mae completely understood her condition, so we were prepared.”

Through it all, Iris-Mae has shown incredible strength. She continues to receive ongoing care at Sheffield Children’s and approaches hospital visits with positivity: “I’m not scared to visit the hospital anymore. I have lots of friends there, and there’s always something exciting happening.”

Thanks to our supporters, our charity is able to fund vital research, specialist medical equipment, new facilities and environments that help children feel safe, supported and cared for. Together we make the difference 💛

Read Iris-Mae's full story on our website at https://sheffieldchildrens.org/news/iris-maes-story/

01/05/2026

🥇Making history 🥇

Huge congratulations to Katie Ellis, who has become the first Allied Health Professional (AHP) Support Worker to receive a Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) Gold Award 👏

Only 10 awards were given nationally this year, recognising exceptional leadership and impact across the NHS AHP workforce.

Katie was recognised for championing AHP Support Workers – ensuring their voices are heard, valued, and part of leadership and decision-making at Sheffield Children’s and across South Yorkshire.

As Katie says: “Strong AHP services and strong AHP leadership are vital for the future of the NHS. When AHPs, including support workers, are part of the conversation, we can innovate, influence change, and help shape the services our patients need.”

This is a proud moment for Katie, for AHP Support Workers, and for Sheffield Children’s. The kind of moment that reflects 150 years of progress and a willingness to keep trying new things.

Congratulations on this truly ground-breaking and well-deserved achievement!🎉

01/05/2026

Please be aware that our phone lines will be down from 1:30pm today as we work to move our service over to our new premises.

We expect the lines to be back up and running after the bank holiday weekend. In the meantime, please bear with us while we complete this transition.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

30/04/2026

We’re so excited to see Urban Pitta opening in Crookes this week

Even more exciting? On their opening day, Friday 1 May, all pittas will be just £1.99 — and all proceeds raised will be donated to support us 💛💙

A huge thank you to the Urban Pitta team for choosing to support our work. We’re incredibly grateful and can’t wait to see the community come together for such a brilliant cause.

If you’re nearby, be sure to stop by, grab a pitta, and show your support!

29/04/2026

We’ll be at a sold out Hillsborough this Saturday for Sheffield Wednesday v West Brom 💙

Our team and amazing volunteers will be bucket collecting outside the ground from 11am, so if you’re heading to the game, please bring some spare change and support Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity. 💛

Keep an eye out for our mascot Theo, who’ll be there too!

Let’s raise as much as we can together!