Barker-Mill Foundation funds expansion of children’s unit at Southampton University Hospital

The Murray Parish Trust, a Hampshire based charity set up by actors Sarah Parish and James Murray has received a donation of £10,000 from the Barker-Mill Foundation (BMF) to help the continued support of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Southampton University Hospital.

The Murray Parish Trust was set up in 2014 by Sarah, known for her work on ITV’s Doctor Who and Cutting It, and James,  who first found fame in Coronation Street, to thank those that gave them the precious time they had with their late daughter Ella-Jayne who suffered from a congenital heart defect.

The charity supports the work of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Southampton University Hospital, a highly specialised unit providing acute paediatric care for critically ill children from across the whole of the South of England.

Tim Jobling, trustee at the Barker-Mill Foundation, said: “The work that The Murray Parish Trust do for our local PICU at Southampton Hospital is inspiring. Sarah, James and the team are constantly fundraising and doing all they can to raise the money the unit needs to give the best care for critically ill children.

“We feel very honoured to support such a well deserving charity and worthy cause.”

The unit is in desperate need of expansion.  Earlier this year, they had to start turning children away.  With only 14 bed spaces to cover Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Surrey, East and West Sussex, Oxford, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands, there is simply not enough room to treat the children that so badly need their services.

The Murray Parish Trust is currently raising funds to expand the unit and provide two new fully equipped bed spaces. The donation from BMF will take the charity a step closer to achieving their goal of the additional fully equipped bed spaces. The equipment for each bed space costs just over £60,000 and the building work required to increase the physical space will cost a further £280,000.

Sarah Parish, co-founder of The Murray Parish Trust said: “We approached the Barker-Mill Foundation having read about their dedication and commitment to supporting worthy causes that benefit the wider community around them. We are delighted that they have chosen to support our cause.

“Their generous donation will go directly towards paying for life saving bed space equipment and will in turn help to save many more young lives in the future.”

To donate to The Murray Parish Trust please visit: http://www.themurrayparishtrust.com/support-us