Charity bunny hop bounces to success
Birmingham Hospice is celebrating the success of its spring school fundraiser, Bunny Hop, after it raised a record-breaking £14,500.
Birmingham Hospice provides free, expert palliative and end of life care for people in Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.
This year, the hospice needs to raise £6.5 million through fundraising and voluntary donations to cover the costs of the charity. This is a £1 million increase on last year.
As part of its fundraising activity, each year, in the run up to Easter, schools and nurseries across Birmingham and the surrounding areas are invited to hop, skip and jump their chosen distance to raise vital funds for the charity.
Every school that signs up receives free bunny ears for each pupil and support from the Education Fundraiser, including a school assembly and a visit from Hettie the Birmingham Hospice hedgehog.
Last year’s Bunny Hop raised £6,250 which means 2024’s fantastic fundraising was an increase of 132 per cent raised by six schools and seven nurseries.
Among these schools and nurseries was Walmley Infant School, who signed up to hop for hospice care following the school’s headteacher hearing about the campaign.
Helen, Inclusion Leader at the school, said: “It was brilliant to see all the children wearing bunny ears and having fu2 n while fundraising.
“The children loved it when Hettie visited and really enjoyed the assemblies. The messages shared were engaging for them which made it easier to share information with parents.
Walmley Infant School raised over £5,000, a third of the total fundraised!
Following the success of Bunny Hop, John Hurley, Education Fundraiser at Birmingham Hospice, said: “I’ve been truly overwhelmed by the brilliant response to this year’s campaign. I’m so grateful to every school that’s signed up, from the teachers and pupils who engaged with us, to the parents and families who’ve made donations.”
Rudolph Run, the hospice’s other fundraiser aimed at schools, also raised a terrific £25,500 at the end of 2023. This means in the last six months, schools and nurseries across the local community have raised a fantastic £40,000 for patients and their families supported by Birmingham Hospice.
If you’re school, nursery or group would like to get involved in supporting Birmingham Hospice, click here to get in touch or email fundraise@birmingamhospice.org.uk.
