Hortons announces new partnership with Noah’s Star 

A charity that supports the families of premature and sick babies in the West Midlands is to benefit from a new relationship with Hortons’ Estate Limited.

Noah’s Star, which works within the region’s neonatal units and children’s hospitals, has been chosen as Hortons’ charity of the year for 2024.

Staff at Hortons will engage in fundraising initiatives during the next twelve months to raise money for the charity. 

Their efforts will assist Noah’s Star in providing a wide range of much needed services, including sibling childcare, parent and peer support, community stay and play groups, and counselling services. 

Noah’s Star was founded by Jo-Anne Shellum following the premature birth of her twin boys, Oscar and Noah, in 2015. Tragically, Noah lived for only 30 hours, while Oscar faced various health conditions, including chronic lung disease and cerebral palsy.

The charity recognises the immense challenges faced by families in similar situations.

Jo-Anne said: “As a small charity this will make a huge difference to the families we work with. Thank you so much for selecting our charity – I’m so grateful for this support. 

“Noah’s Star aims to alleviate the challenges experienced by families with premature and sick children. We not only provide practical support but also emotional assistance and a sense of community, with a special emphasis on supporting the entire family, particularly siblings.”

Hortons has a proud history of charitable fundraising. It recently donated several thousand pounds to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, as well as Midlands-based charity, Prevent ALL, which funds research into blood related cancers, and provides support for those affected by it.

Jane Phillips of Hortons’ said: “Noah’s Star is an incredible charity that is providing outstanding levels of care for families in the region and we are only too pleased to lend our support. We have been particularly struck by Jo-Anne’s determination and passion to use her own deeply personal experiences to help others. We will be doing all we can to raise funds to help her and her team.”

For more information about Noah’s Star or to make a donation to the charity, please visit: www.noahsstar.co.uk