Charities

Bristol Neonatal Nurse Raises £60,000 for Babies Charity Through Knitting Stall

Good News Post

Jun 16, 2026 — 3 min read

Neonatal nurse Sister Emma Stuart celebrates raising £60,000 for Cots for Tots - supplied The Grand Appeal

By Charities Correspondent

A neonatal nurse at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol has raised £60,000 for a charity supporting premature and critically ill babies after more than a decade of fundraising.

Sister Emma Stuart, who works in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), reached the milestone through a fundraising stall she has run since 2012 alongside her nursing role.

The stall, based at the hospital, sells hand-knitted cardigans, blankets, soft toys and other items donated by a network of volunteer knitters.

The money raised supports Cots for Tots, the charity that helps fund equipment, family accommodation and additional services for babies receiving specialist care on the unit.

*Some of the items on Emma's stall - image supplied The Grand Appeal*

Emma has continued running the stall in her spare time, usually one morning a week, while working shifts on the ward.

She said she never imagined the fundraising effort would raise such a significant amount.

"Working on NICU, I see every day how much Cots for Tots means to babies receiving care and to the families beside them," she said. "That's what has motivated me to keep fundraising over the years."

Colleagues and charity supporters have praised Emma's dedication, which has spanned 14 years and helped countless families across the South West.

Josie Thomas, from The Grand Appeal, described the achievement as "remarkable" and said it reflected both Emma's commitment and the support of the knitters and donors who have contributed to the cause.

St Michael's Hospital's Director of Midwifery, Sarah Windfeld, said Emma's efforts had made a real difference to families using the neonatal unit and called the £60,000 total a fantastic achievement.

Cots for Tots was established in 2010 to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Michael's Hospital.

The charity funds life-saving equipment, accommodation for parents and projects designed to improve the experience of families during a baby's stay in hospital.

Alongside the hospital stall, Emma also raises money through an online eBay shop, helping to continue support for the charity's work.

*Sister Emma Stuart with her stall - image supplied The Grand Appeal*

To learn more about Emma’s fundraising and Cots for Tots visit www.grandappeal.org.uk and follow Cots for Tots on Facebook and @thegrandappeal on Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

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