Scott House, our ‘Home from Home’ supporting families with a seriously ill child receiving treatment at The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, recently celebrated ten years of keeping families together.
Since being opened on 17 October 2014 by Geordie legends Ant McPartlin, Declan Donnelly, and Alan Shearer, Scott House has provided more than 3,000 families with a warm and comfortable place to stay, free of charge, just minutes from the hospital wards.
A significant percentage of families that use Scott House have a child receiving care at the hospital’s renowned Children’s Heart Unit, with stays often lasting many months or even years, sometimes hundreds of miles away from home. For these families, Scott House offers a sanctuary just a stone’s throw from their child’s hospital bedside, easing the emotional and financial strain of being far from home.
On 17 October 2024, exactly ten years since opening its doors, numerous supporters, friends, and families past and present gathered at Scott House to mark a decade of togetherness. We were delighted to welcome our friends from the Children’s Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) including Founder Anne Scott – who our ‘Home from Home’ was named in honour of – and Patron Sir Graham Wylie, who raised more than a £1 million to help fund the construction of our ‘Home from Home’. We were also joined by Sergio and Emma Petrucci from the wonderful Red Sky Foundation, who have been fantastic supporters of Scott House in recent years.
Also among the visitors were Peter Sutton and his ten year old son Oscar, who was diagnosed with two serious heart conditions on the same day that Scott House officially opened. Peter said:
“We received a key on that first day, and it was the timeliest, most important lifeline for our family at a time of huge stress and worry. Oscar was only eight days old at the time. Being able to stay just minutes away from the ward was so important, keeping us close to Oscar while he was fighting for his life and giving us a place where our family could process everything that was going on.

Oscar Sutton and dad Peter, cutting the cake.
“Staying at Scott House took away so much stress and uncertainty. Without it, the logistics of getting to the hospital in an emergency could’ve meant missing crucial moments with Oscar. But instead, we were always just a short walk away.
“Just like Scott House, Oscar turned ten this year and I’m thrilled to say he’s doing great. He’s gone from check-ups every six months, to yearly and now to every two years. He gets a bit out of breath when he’s playing sports, but he’s not going to be stopped – he’s very resilient.”
Highlighting the importance of Scott House for families facing long hospital stays, Jane Featherstone, CEO of The Sick Children’s Trust, said:
“Without Scott House many families would face the difficult reality of staying in costly hotels, sleeping in their cars, or spending nights on uncomfortable hospital chairs. When your child is seriously ill, having a free, comfortable place to stay just moments from their bedside offers invaluable relief, helping to ease the burden during an incredibly challenging time.
“Scott House really is a lifeline to all the families that have stayed or are staying there, and I must say a huge thank you to our supporters and fundraisers for everything they do to ensure that Scott House continues to be there for families when they really need it.”
Scott House’s 10th Anniversary celebrations will continue on 6 December at The Snowflake Ball, with The Sick Children’s Trust and long-time supporters The Children’s Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) partnering for a special festive fundraising evening at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle. You can purchase tickets by clicking here.

Ant McPartlin, Declan Donnelly, and Alan Shearer at the opening of Scott House in 2014.