This Christmas Ross has pledged to sponsor a baby hospice with a whopping £24,000 donation to Zoë’s Place – the UK’s only baby-specific hospice. Ross is encouraging other companies to do the same and support charities more in a time when the need for their services are higher than ever, yet donations have plummeted.
The donation from IAMTech will cover the salary of an incoming nurse that is due to join the clinical team at the Middlesbrough hospice in the New Year.
Ross Coulman, Managing Director of IAMTech, said:
“It doesn’t sit well with me having wealth when so many other people are suffering, and I wish more companies in our position would take the same approach as I have.
“Charities are reporting much higher demand for their services than before the COVID19 crisis hit, whilst over half of charities have reported a large drop in donations.
“I feel it is our duty to give back and support the crucial work of charities like Zoë’s Place and others. This is not a token sum. Our gift represents a significant amount of our profits, showing our commitment as a business to supporting those in need.”
IAMTech’s donation comes after Zoë’s Place was forced to close its doors for five months from the end of March to the beginning of August, in response to the restrictions that were imposed in the UK as a result of COVID-19.
In turn, the charity suffered significantly during the first wave of the pandemic, experiencing an approximate sixty percent drop in donations, which concluded in a forty percent reduction of its workforce.
As a result, the charity is currently only able to offer a reduced level of service, caring for fewer families due to shorter opening hours.
On speaking to Michelle Larkin, Head of Care, Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice, about the donation, she said:
“The support Ross and his team at IAMTech have shown Zoë’s Place throughout the years and, more specifically, this Christmas, means so much to everyone that comes through the doors to Zoë’s Place.
“The reduced service we are currently able to offer at Zoë’s Place has presented an incredibly difficult situation, not only for the charity, but for the families that rely heavily on the vital services provided by Zoë’s Place.
“In a period of uncertainty and financial difficulty, having such a large and generous donation that will go directly towards the salary of our new nurse means that we can devote more money and resources to providing the high standard of care and support that our families have come to rely on over the years.
“Ross’ dedication and commitment to giving back and supporting Zoë’s Place is a testament to his kind and giving nature, and we count ourselves so incredibly lucky to have him on our side.
“It is impossible for me to express my personal thanks – and that of the charity – and no amount of words will ever feel enough. But from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Without fundraisers and donors such as Ross and IAMTech, Zoë’s Place wouldn’t be able to continue to offer its services, for free, to the families that really need it.”
If you would like to pledge to sponsor a nurse at - or leave a donation for - Zoë’s Place, please visit https://donate.zoes-place.org.uk/
