Yee Ha! Wild West Sensathon raises record £480k

This year’s Sensathon – a partnership with Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense franchises across the UK – raised almost half a million pounds to help fund our research into the prevention of miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth.

Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense collectively raised an incredible £481,712 this year through events which saw babies and under-5s dress up in Wild West outfits and complete 6 sponsored ‘Yee Ha!’ themed challenges.

The record-breaking total could fund a Tommy’s research centre for a year, enabling our scientists, doctors and midwives to continue their lifesaving work.

Baby Sensory franchises in Angus, Wakefield and Dundee were among the highest fundraisers during this year’s campaign, collectively raising over £45,000.

Since the first Tommy’s Sensathon was launched in 2014, Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense little ones have raised £1.4 million for us with the passionate support of their families, friends and Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense Practitioners. 

Money raised helps support our scientists, doctors and midwives in carrying out pregnancy research and running our specialist clinics which turn this research into care. It also allows us to provide online resources via our PregnancyHub and a team of midwives to support parents with pregnancy queries or in need of grief support after loss.

In the past year we’ve invested some £2.4m in research, recruited 4,000 parents to clinical trials, and seen the result of recent research – including our study on the use of progesterone to reduce risk of early miscarriage - shape national treatment guidelines, helping save thousands of babies’ lives. 

Sean McKeon, Managing Director at Baby Sensory said: “We are thrilled and extremely proud to have raised such a phenomenal amount of money for Tommy’s. It has been a tough couple of years for most people and to have achieved what we have is amazing. We know what a difference this funding will make to people’s lives too, which makes what we do all the more rewarding.”

Kath Abrahams, Tommy’s Chief Executive, said: “Words cannot express how grateful we - and all the people your fundraising will help – are for the incredible efforts of everyone who participated in Sensathon this year. This is the most that Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense have ever raised in a single event. This is an outstanding achievement and will help make such a tremendous difference to our work to save more babies’ lives.”

Founded and developed by Dr Lin Day, Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense provide a range of parent and child sensory activity-based class experiences across the UK and overseas which enhance early years learning and development through exploratory sensory play. Baby Sensory classes are aimed at parents and babies from birth up to 13 months and Toddler Sense is aimed at parents and toddlers aged 13 months to 5 years. 

Find out more about Tommy’s Sensathon 

Find out more about Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense
 

[Image credit: Baby Sensory]