First ‘cuddle bed’ arrives at Scarborough Hospital thanks to community fundraising

7 MAY 2026

York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity is thanking supporters after the first ‘cuddle bed’ has been funded for Scarborough Hospital, offering comfort and closeness for patients and their loved ones at the end of life.

The specialist Palliative Care Team set themselves the challenge of raising enough money to fund the bed as part of the Autumn Project - an initiative focused on improving end-of-life care across the Trust.

Cuddle beds are specially designed to allow two or more people to lie together, giving patients the chance to stay close to those who matter most. They offer a simple but powerful way to provide comfort, dignity and connection during the final days of life.

The bed has been introduced as part of the Autumn Project, which aims to create calm, supportive spaces for patients nearing the end of life, while also improving consistency of care across wards. Funding this first cuddle bed is an important step forward, with plans already in place to provide more across the Trust.

The bed, which costs around £15,000, has already been used multiple times since arriving at the hospital. Because it is portable, it can be moved between areas including the Critical Care Unit and dedicated Autumn Rooms on the wards, helping more families benefit from it.

The achievement has been made possible thanks to a wide range of fundraising efforts across the local community throughout 2025.

Highlights include a skydive by palliative care clinical nurse specialists Cassie Halpin and Julie McHugh, raising more than £2,000; a 25-mile sponsored walk from Settrington Beacon to Filey completed by student nurses, raising over £1,600; and the incredible efforts of local supporters including Denise Byas, who raised more than £7,000 in memory of her husband Richard, and Annie Sheppard, who has raised over £15,000 for the Autumn Project since 2020 through events, art sales and raffles in memory of her mum.

Denise recently visited Scarborough Hospital to see the cuddle bed in place, where she met members of the Palliative Care Team and saw first-hand how it is already supporting patients and families.

Emma Sargent, Fundraising Manager at York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity, said:
“Funding the first cuddle bed is a really meaningful milestone, and it’s only been possible because of the generosity and determination of so many people in our community. Every donation, every event and every challenge has played a part in making this happen.

“We’ve already seen the difference the bed is making - giving patients and their loved ones the chance to be close, to hold hands, and to spend precious time together in a more comfortable and dignified way.

“But this is just the start. We would love to fund more cuddle beds across the Trust so that more families can benefit. If anyone is thinking about supporting a local cause, the Autumn Project is something you can really make a difference to.”

The charity is now encouraging individuals, groups and businesses to get involved and support the next phase of the Autumn Project, helping to fund an additional cuddle bed for wards across York.

To find out more about the Autumn Project or to make a donation, visit:
www.yshospitalscharity.org/Autumnproject