More Than Simply Accommodation
At Week2Week, giving back is personal. Our connection with the Children’s Heart Unit Fund, better known as CHUF, stretches back much further than our formal partnership. Members of our directors’ families were involved in fundraising for the Children’s Heart Unit during the 1980s, and the families it supports have held a special place in our hearts ever since.
Supporting families when they need it most
In 2022, our Managing Director, Claire Parry, reached out to CHUF. As Week2Week had grown, we wanted to find a meaningful way to support our local community.
CHUF helps children, young people and families receiving treatment through the Children’s Heart Unit at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital. Sometimes, families need somewhere to stay at very short notice when they cannot stay at Scott House. As a local accommodation provider, we could help by offering preferential rates, responding quickly and giving the CHUF team someone to speak to directly.
That personal approach matters to us. When a family is going through a difficult time, finding a place to stay should feel as straightforward and reassuring as possible. Our aim is to offer a comfortable home from home, with the thoughtful touches and support that can make a stay a little easier.
A moment of normality
One experience in the early months of our partnership has stayed with our team.
An Adult Congenital Heart Disease nurse contacted CHUF about a patient who had spent several months on an adult ward at the Freeman Hospital. The patient missed something many of us take for granted: the comfort of having a bath at home.
Our team found an available accessible apartment and added bath bombs and a cosy robe to make the visit feel special. For the patient, that simple moment away from the hospital felt like a luxury.
It reminded us that accommodation can mean much more than a place to sleep. Sometimes, it offers comfort, dignity and the chance to feel like yourself again.
Finding more ways to help
What began with emergency accommodation has grown into a wider partnership. We share information about CHUF in our apartments so guests can learn about its work and support the charity if they wish.
We also support CHUF through sponsorship of its business events and send seasonal treats to bring delight and celebratory moments to families. These have included care boxes and gifts for Eid, helping families feel recognised and included. We have been a silver sponsor of the CHUF ball and have supported its Changemakers Community.
As a small team, we wanted to build our support around what we could do well: offer practical help, share CHUF’s story and contribute to occasions that bring its community together.
Can you help too?
We would love it if you could lend your support. Give @CHUFOfficial a follow to learn more about the difference CHUF makes, or make a one-off £2 donation by texting W2WHEART to 70450.
CHUF has held a special place in our hearts for generations. We are proud to play a part in supporting its Heart Heroes and families, and we look forward to continuing that support in the years ahead.
You can learn more about CHUF at www.chuf.org.uk.
