A SEAFRONT hotel has raised more than £16,000 for a children’s charity, helping them to buy a ventilator for vulnerable new-borns.

The Grand in Kings Road, Brighton added a discretionary donation of £2 for Rockinghorse Children’s Charity to every room booked at the hotel.

The hotel had to cancel its normal fundraising events for the charity due to pandemic.

Michele Goering, personal assistant to the Grand’s managing director, said staff were determined to find ways to support the charity despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: “It was really important to everyone here at The Grand that despite the challenges the hotel was facing, we continued to help this great local charity.

“And our guests couldn’t have been more generous! We are so proud to have been able to raise such an amazing amount for Rockinghorse.

“It’s wonderful to know that thanks to our guests, we have been able to provide such an important piece of equipment for our local children’s hospital.

“And we can’t wait to come up with many more fundraising ideas so that we can continue to support Rockinghorse in the future.”

These funds will be put towards a new neonatal ventilator for the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Eastern Road, Brighton.

The ventilator is specifically designed to help babies under 5 kg in weight be nursed at the hospital as quickly as possible.

Rockinghorse chief executive Donna Holland said the equipment will mean families can access the treatment their babies need in the city and avoid lengthy stays hospital stays elsewhere.

She said: ““Over the last few years we have seen some amazing support shown by local businesses, and The Grand is no exception.

“Not only did they have to manage being closed for so many months, but they also had to show such incredible resilience to manage the ongoing uncertainty the hospitality sector was facing.

“So, to be able to fundraise such an amazing amount under these circumstances is just incredible.

“We are so thankful to the whole staff team and every single guest that visited the hotel and donated to us.

“All this generosity has resulted in us being able to help so many sick babies in the future.”

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