Help give every baby the best start 
Every year, around 375 babies begin their lives in the Neonatal Unit at York Hospital. These are babies born prematurely or with health complications. Babies who need specialist care, and families who need comfort, reassurance, and support during one of the most challenging times of their lives.
The Neonatal Unit, previously known as the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), provides care for families across York and Scarborough. A £2 million refurbishment is currently underway, with the new unit set to open in 2026. The transformation will create a state-of-the-art environment for babies to become stronger and healthier, while also offering improved facilities to support parents during their time in hospital.
The Tiny Lives Appeal aims to raise £100,000 to enhance the experience for babies and their families in the new unit. With your support, we can fund additional equipment and furnishings to help transform the Neonatal Unit into a calm, tranquil and comforting, family-friendly space.
Why your support matters
The Neonatal Unit already delivers vital clinical care. Your support of the Tiny Lives Appeal will help us create an environment for families that matches the compassionate care delivered by the dedicated team. With your help, we can fund:
- Reclining chairs so parents can stay close to their baby, day and night
- Twin cots so twins can be together from the start, supporting bonding and emotional wellbeing
- Height-adjustable cots to support mothers recovering from C-sections, helping them care for their babies with ease and dignity
- Comfortable furniture to create a space where families can relax and feel at home
- Therapeutic skylights to soften the clinical environment and bring a sense of calm to the unit
These upgrades will create a calm and comforting space that supports families emotionally and physically. They will help parents feel closer to their babies, reduce stress, and encourage connection.
The impact of your gift
Your donation to the Tiny Lives Appeal will help to create a space where families feel safe, supported, and cared for. An environment that reflects the exceptional care provided by the Neonatal Unit team.
Together we can build a brighter, more comfortable future for our smallest patients and their families.
Should the Tiny Lives Appeal exceed its target, any additional monies raised will be used to further enhance the neonatal care provision at York Hospital.
Should the appeal not reach the required target, York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity will ensure that donations are spent in accordance with its charitable objects. Funds raised will be prioritised to enhance the neonatal care provision at York Hospital.
York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity reserves the right to revise the Tiny Lives Appeal target, should the expected costs of the project exceed initial estimates. The target of £100,000 was set based on best estimates of project costings available in October 2025.