Our Bolton NHS Charity
As the official charity of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, we support patients, service-users and their families undergoing care or treatment at the Royal Bolton Hospital and in the community.
Our Bolton NHS Charity is the official charity of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, enhancing the health and wellbeing of patients, families, and NHS staff across our hospitals and community services.
Thanks to the generosity of people like you, we fund projects that go above and beyond what the NHS can provide – creating better experiences, improving environments, supporting staff wellbeing, and investing in life‑changing equipment.
Our Bolton NHS Charity was established in 1995 and is the official charity partner of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
The NHS charity sector (made up of over 230 NHS charities) contributes £1.5 million to the NHS everyday
Make a big impact
Get your staff energised to put the fun in fundraising, from bake sales and team challenge events to office raffles. Visit our website
for our fundraising guide, full of ideas and resources to inspire and support you.
Hosting a raffle or an auction can raise vital funds for your local NHS here in Bolton. Some formats require a gambling licence, but small on‑the‑day raffles don’t. Visit www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk or ask us for guidance.
Boost your impact by matching donations from the public or doubling an employee’s fundraising efforts giving them, and us, an extra lift.
Your employees can give directly through their pay, with donations taken before tax. This would involve giving the pennies from their pay, round the amount that lands in their bank account to the nearest pound, every month.
Choose Our Bolton NHS Charity as your event’s beneficiary to help raise funds and awareness for the incredible work of our NHS teams. Our team will support you from planning right through to event day.
We offer a range of partnership opportunities, including charity‑led events, campaigns, and Trust‑wide sponsorship options. We tailor packages to suit your business so please get in touch to explore current opportunities.
Support our work by donating a percentage of profits from a product or service. This requires a Commercial Participation Agreement and we can guide you through the process.
If your business nominates an annual charity partner, we’d love you to choose Our Bolton NHS Charity. Together we can make a meaningful difference to healthcare in our community.
Could you donate raffle prizes or surplus stock to thank our staff or support our fundraising? These gifts are a great alternative to cash donations and help raise your profile as well as ours.
How to send us the funds you’ve raised
JustGiving
Bank Transfer
Cash
Here are a few examples of what the money you raise could provide
Our Bolton Stories
Our Bolton NHS Charity is proud to fund the things that make a lasting and meaningful difference to the people of Bolton, and beyond.
Your stories are what drives us to achieve more, whether that’s the impact of the charity’s investments, or the efforts of the incredible people of Bolton and beyond to fundraise for us – our Bolton stories are the heart of Our Bolton NHS Charity.
If we’ve had an impact on your journey, or inspired you on your own journey…we want to tell your story so that Our Bolton NHS Charity can continue to fund the things that matter the most.
‘When people are in need, there are always people who will help’
After sadly losing a child, Chris Mealing found a community in Our Bolton NHS Charity, helping to create our beautiful Baby Memorial Garden and providing opportunities for local businesses to make a difference.
“Until you actually go through that as a as a person, you don’t really know how it affects you. It’s hard to describe to people what it feels like.
“You don’t process the emotions, you don’t process anything, and you almost drift along.”
Our Bolton NHS Charity first came into Chris’ life after being elected to our Board of Governors where he found a new focus and felt he was able to make a difference.
Chris became heavily involved in the creation of the Baby Memorial Garden at Royal Bolton Hospital, providing guidance and support to the charity as they raised hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“It was wonderful to be involved and all these years later, when we visit the hospital, I can walk through the garden and explain to my children how I was involved, and they know it as dad’s garden. Sometimes I’ll sit on one of the benches to remember.
“It’s knowing I’ve been a part of something really special that’s making a difference to the lives of others in my hometown of Bolton, something I hope my children will talk about in the future to say, ‘your grandad was involved in putting this together’”.
Since then, Chris’ contributions to the charity have been invaluable, using his local knowledge and entrepreneurial skills to find and develop opportunities for Bolton businesses to work with Our Bolton NHS Charity, with the aim of creating a community of partnerships to make a lasting and meaningful difference.
“I’m the type of person that wants to be involved in helping. I may not always be directly involved, but like with the Baby Memorial Garden, you can bring people together to make a difference on a massive scale.
“Most people who use the garden would never even know I exist, but what we’re able to do together as a community is touching hundreds and hundreds of people on a week.
“Don’t be shy about getting in touch and getting involved. You can make the experience your own. I’ve never ran a marathon. I’m not going to do cycling or climb a mountain or jump out of a plane.
“It doesn’t have to be any of that. It’s about the little things. Just being able to speak to people, introducing somebody to somebody else, it all adds up. Those small things snowball into something bigger,
“You’re creating the foundation for people to work together to support the patients, families and staff. It’s a ripple effect.”
For Chris, being involved with Our Bolton NHS Charity has had a hugely positive impact on his life.
“It’s took away any feeling of isolation I was experiencing. I felt lost after experiencing the loss of a child and didn’t know where to focus my attention.
“For people going through that, please don’t feel like you’re on your own.”
Fintan O’Malley raised thousands of pounds in memory of his special daughter, Millie, who was born prematurely and received care in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Millie was born prematurely at week 22 and 6 days, weighing just 486g, and bravely fought to be with her parents, Fintan and Becca, in NICU for 33 days.
Fintan’s extraordinary fundraising challenge saw him embark on a 330km ultramarathon run around the West Pennine Moors, battling stormy conditions and a total elevation the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest.
Fintan and his partner Becca also had a community of supporters around them to help raise more than £40,000 for specialist neonatal equipment to help families in the future.
“Millie was perfect, she was beautiful with a perfect little nose and perfect little toes, but she was also a little fighter.
“Millie dealt with so much in her short life and had a big personality that captivated the hearts of everyone. We are so proud of our little angel and are forever grateful that she chose us to be her parents.
“This unit, who so lovingly looked after Millie, gave us 33 precious days with our daughter before she moved on to the next part of her journey.
“Babies born in this unit who use the equipment bought in Millie’s memory may one day become parents themselves, and as long as that bloodline continues, so will Millie’s legacy.”
‘The trouble is, we think we have time’
For Bolton Spin Studio owner Gareth Price, giving back has always come naturally. A proud supporter of Our Bolton NHS Charity, Gareth has long believed in showing appreciation to the people who have supported him and his family throughout his life.
Like many of us, Gareth has had his fair share of interactions with the NHS. But the moment that truly shaped his passion for fundraising came when his daughter was born at Royal Bolton Hospital. Seeing the compassion, dedication and skill of NHS staff left a mark that never faded.
Gareth began this chapter of his fundraising journey in 2022, determined to make a difference. A year later, he took things up a gear with a six‑hour Spinathon – held on one of the hottest days of the year.
The event didn’t just raise thousands of pounds; it united people across Bolton. Staff from Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, Public Health Bolton, members from the studio and Amazon all joined Gareth in the studio, pushing through heat, sweat and countless rotations of the pedals, together.
For Gareth, movement isn’t just fitness. It’s medicine, or as he puts it – “it’s the rhythm of life.” Throughout the last few years, he’s used his cycling trips abroad as a way to create interest in the fundraising and this year, a third, two hour Live & Loud DJ led spin class to help the money keep coming in.
Behind the scenes, Gareth, an avid fitness fan, had been unknowingly preparing for the biggest challenge of his life. In 2025, he was diagnosed with lymphoma.
What followed was a gruelling journey through treatment, strength and uncertainty. After six rounds of chemotherapy and two rounds of Rituximab, Gareth received the news everyone had been hoping for – the cancer was gone!
Gareth’s story is one of courage, community and gratitude. His journey reminds us all how precious every moment is, and how incredible things happen when people come together.
No matter how small, your support keeps the rhythm of life moving for patients and families across Bolton.
“We wanted to help create spaces in hospital that allow for privacy, solace and respite for those suffering stress and the loss of loved ones.”
Betty’s support over the past 40 years has helped to fund comforting bereavement rooms and tranquil green spaces for others, in memory of her beloved husband Geoff and in recognition of the many Bolton NHS staff who make such a difference.
Betty Severn and Geoff Redgate were both born during the Depression of the 1920s and they grew up in neighbouring villages in the mining heartland of Derbyshire. They were Head Girl and Head Boy and became teenage sweethearts in their final years at grammar school, and then together faced the hardships, challenges and losses of wartime, before marrying in 1948 and moving to Bolton, where they made their lifelong home, had a family, and worked incredibly hard in their careers.
Betty became Head of Girls’ PE at Rivington and Blackrod School and Geoff enjoyed his main job as a Senior Lecturer at Manchester University Audiology Department.
After serving on the Bolton Area Health Authority Board for several years Geoff was appointed Chairman in 1975. This was a role he absolutely loved. He soon retired from the University and worked tirelessly on behalf of the Bolton Hospitals.
Over the next 10 years Geoff helped to win significant funding, notably for The Princess Anne Maternity Unit which was officially opened by Her Royal Highness on 27 June 1978, along with funding for the phased redevelopment of A&E wards and theatres as part of the start of a strategy to consolidate services from the Bolton Royal Infirmary onto a modernised Bolton General Hospital Site.
In April 1985 Geoff was still enjoying and working tirelessly in his role as Chairman of Bolton Area Health Authority when he suffered a heart attack at the tragically early age of 60. He was taken by ambulance to Bolton Royal Infirmary. Followed closely by Betty and son Robert.
In those days there wasn’t a room dedicated solely for the privacy of relatives awaiting news of their loved ones. And so, in a corridor of the Bolton Royal Infirmary, staff gave Betty the news as sympathetically as possible that Geoffrey had passed away.
In 1985, Betty had only very recently retired and very sadly she managed only one retirement outing together with Geoff before he died.
She was distraught at Geoff’s death and it would have been easy for a woman of her generation, newly bereaved and not used to acting totally independently, to have been at a loss what to do going forward. But her inner strength, feistiness, commitment and determination carried her.
Motivated by her own experience and by Geoff’s vision as Chairman, Betty set about contributing towards and supporting a legacy of care for grieving families of patients at Bolton hospital.
Betty made representations for specific provision to be made for people in similar circumstances to hers to have privacy and seclusion and shortly after Geoff’s passing Betty provided the initial funding for furnishing and decoration of a room in the Bolton Royal Infirmary to provide this facility. The room was named the Redgate Room.
The Redgate Room was moved to the Bolton District General Hospital (now Royal Bolton Hospital) in the early 1990s.
The purpose of The Redgate Room was continued as part of the Royal Bolton Bereavement Services and in 2022 as part of the newly named Butterfly Suite. There have been many incredible donations made by others, especially in memory of their loved ones, in support of this space where relatives and friends can be given a little privacy, peace and tranquility.
Geoff was also a committed advocate for ensuring funds were available for the green spaces within the Bolton Hospitals believing that gardens have a great therapeutic value for patients, friends and relatives and perhaps most of all hospital staff.
A small garden was established in 1985 on the other side of the roundabout opposite what is now the main hospital entrance. This garden is still marked at the entrance to the garden areas by a large boulder and a commemorative plaque “a garden to the memory of G W Redgate donated by his Family and Many Friends “. The Garden was originally known as the Redgate Garden.
The Garden has been separately added to and enhanced over the years, notably by the Baby Memorial Garden created with the support and fundraising of bereaved parents, local voluntary and community groups and staff from Bolton NHS. And most recently with the addition of The Garden of Reflection inspired by those who have given the gift of life through organ donation and funded by generous donations from Our Bolton NHS Charity and the general public.
In January 1986, the road which runs through Royal Bolton Hospital between Plodder Lane and Minerva Road was re-named “Redgate Way” in memory of Geoff, his contribution and his leadership over the many years he had worked on behalf of the Bolton Hospitals. Redgate Way was formally opened by Betty with the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton on 11 January 1986.
Some years later, Betty remarried, becoming Betty Swyer and went on to live a full, long and happy life.
One constant throughout the 40+ years since Geoff’s death was Betty’s ongoing support for Bolton’s NHS and the facilities which provide for the softer aspects of care, which make such a difference but which, in times of limited resources, can suffer. Bolton NHS recognises their importance and Betty and her family say they are privileged to have had their name associated with two such facilities since their origins in 1985.
Betty contributed towards the upkeep of the Redgate Room, latterly the Butterfly Suite and the maintenance of the Redgate Garden every year without fail since 1985. As well as annual donations, for many years Betty would visit personally and renew contact with staff who knew her and she would regularly send flowers to be displayed in the Redgate Room.
In June 2025, Betty achieved the grand milestone age of 100 and shortly after her birthday she was nominated, and then shortlisted, for the Charity Supporter of the Year award at the Trust’s FABB Awards 2025.
Betty was subsequently delighted to receive Fiona Noden, Sharon White and Sarah Skinner, who made a special visit to her home to thank her for her lifelong support.
Earlier this year, Betty sadly passed away. We’re sharing Our Betty and Geoff’s Story to celebrate their lasting legacy.
Betty’s family are immensely proud of her, and of Geoff, and hope the Butterfly Suite and the Gardens will continue to provide privacy, solace and respite for those suffering stress and the loss of loved ones for many years to come.
With the help and generosity that these facilities have received and continue to receive from so many, for so long, we think that this is assured.
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