Our History

Since we were founded in 1982 we have opened ten 'Homes from Home'.

About us |
Our History

Founded in 1982

The Sick Children’s Trust was founded in 1982 by Dr Jon Pritchard, working at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Professor James Malpas, from St Bart’s Hospital. They saw first-hand the families who weren’t able to stay near their sick children. Some were sleeping on mattresses on the floor or in chairs as there was nowhere for them to stay.

In 1984 we opened our first ‘Home from Home’, Rainbow House in London. Since then we have opened another nine houses in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Cambridge and London.

Growing year by year

Since we were founded in 1982 we have opened ten 'Homes from Home' and now help almost 3,800 families each year.

80's

First 'Home from Home'

In 1984 our first ‘Home from Home’ Rainbow House was opened in London. It supported the families of sick children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. It was fully refurbished in 2019 and is now a welcoming and comfortable place to stay.
90's

Four new Homes are opened

We opened four new 'Homes from Home' across the country during the 1990's including a second Home to support Great Ormond Street Hospital as well as new 'Homes from Home' in Newcastle and Leeds.
00's

Helping more families

We were able to support even more families with sick children in hospital around the country by opening three new 'Homes from Home' and our Big Move fundraising appeal raised an incredible £1.8 million
10's

Celebrating Anniversaries

In 2012 we celebrated our 30th birthday, having helped over 40,000 families and we opened our tenth and most recent ‘Home from Home’ Scott House in Newcastle with 18 rooms with en-suite bathrooms.

Our Founders

Dr Jon Pritchard, working at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Professor James Malpas (pictured), from St Bart’s Hospital, saw first-hand the families who weren’t able to stay near their sick children. Some were sleeping on mattresses on the floor or in chairs as there was nowhere for them to stay.

Dr Jon Pritchard and Professor James Malpas began an appeal and fundraised for two years and in 1984 we opened our first ‘Home from Home’, Rainbow House in London. Since then we have opened another nine houses in Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, Cambridge and London.

Without us, over the last 40 years, more than 73,000 families would have slept in hospital chairs, their cars, expensive hotels or would have had to drive long distances to be by their sick child’s hospital bedside.

Our Staff

Many families tell us that our house staff give them a huge amount of support by being in our houses and someone to talk to and listen. Ann Wyatt has been a dedicated member of The Sick Children’s Trust team for over twenty years, managing our Sheffield ‘Homes from Home’ Magnolia and Treetop Houses. Her continued dedication, care and support never goes unnoticed. Ann explains exactly what working for The Sick Children’s Trust means to her.

“My job is so much more than a job. It is something that I carry with me wherever I go. My family and friends are all involved – my daughters have helped with hosting bun sales and my husband comes to events with me. It is a great charity, and I am so proud to work for it. Sometimes we meet families who are going through the unimaginable, other times we say goodbye to families who have got through the unimaginable. There are some downs, but there are far more ups working at The Sick Children’s Trust’s ‘Homes from Home’.

I have met many families over the years whose stories have stayed with me. The thing about working here in our ‘Homes from Home’ is that you go through every emotion. You go on the journey with the families that stay here and become their support network. It can be hard not to take work home with you, but I am very lucky that for all the time I have worked here I have had an incredible team supporting me. We allow each other the space to talk and offload which is important – it builds resilience and self-preservation.”

“Since I started working here, we have doubled the capacity to support families with little ones at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. We have gone from 12 family bedrooms at one ‘Home from Home’ to 24 bedrooms across two, which is incredible. We have been able to grow thanks to everyone who fundraises for us or donates to us, allowing us to help even more families.

“Our ‘Homes from Home’ really do make hospital life that little bit easier, I see that every day. All families want is to be with their child and that’s what we make possible.”

Celebrating 40 Years of Keeping Families Together

In 2022, The Sick Children’s Trust celebrated 40 years of keeping families together, having provided a welcoming place to stay for over 73,000 families in their time of need. By mid-2024, thanks to the continued generosity of our supporters and fundraisers, we had supported more than 80,000 families with a seriously ill child in hospital.

Donate Today

It costs The Sick Children’s Trust £40 to support a family for one night. £40 gives a family so much more than just a roof over their heads when their child is in hospital.