You might not have heard of MedEquip4Kids, but they have been working tirelessly behind the scenes in Manchester and the northwest for forty years, providing vital medical equipment for hospitals and mental health programmes for schools.
To date, they have raised an incredible £26million and helped 8 million people live healthy, fulfilling lives.
This week, the charity is celebrating an outstanding forty years of providing these vital services to children across Manchester and the North West.
The story of MedEquip4Kids
The charity began with a simple but powerful act of thanks. A couple whose premature baby was successfully treated at Booth Hall Hospital despite a lack of proper equipment decided to give something back. Their fundraising for the hospital marked the beginning of MedEquip4Kids.
“From that small act, the charity grew,” Tobias, Fundraising Partnerships Officer at MedEquip4Kids explained. “It went from a philanthropic couple to a fully fledged organisation supporting children across the North of England.”
Today, MedEquip4Kids supports up to 100,000 children and young people each year. “We worked it out recently,” Tobias added, “and for just over £3 per child, we’re making a real impact: improving health outcomes, supporting recovery, and in some cases, helping to save lives.”
Despite the hospital being under-equipped, their daughter made a full recovery; to
express gratitude, our founders donated vital equipment to the hospital so that other children are not at the same risk as their daughter was.
What do MedEquip4Kids do?
The charity’s work falls into three main areas: hospital equipment, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) support, and school-based mental health intervention.
For hospitals, the donations range from critical items like cots and vein finders to unexpected but essential tools like children’s entertainers, who help improve patient wellbeing during long or difficult stays.
“We’ve worked with hospitals right across the Northwest,” Tobias said, listing projects from Burnley to Liverpool, Stepping Hill, and Ormskirk.
The CAMHS resources focus on supporting children with a wide range of conditions, including ADHD, autism, eating disorders, and suicidal ideation. These resources are tailored to the needs of individual teams and often include tactile objects like fidget toys, weighted blankets, and therapy books. Things that help create a calming environment in clinics and waiting areas.
Then there’s the Hummingbird Project: a six-week mental health programme. This prepares school pupils for their future challenges through providing a free 6-week course, which teaches resilience, mindfulness, and self-confidence. The Hummingbird Project was developed in tandem with the University of Greater Manchester and the University of Chester in 2017, implementing the principles of Positive Psychology, so that the thousands of pupils they help achieve measurable improvements.
“My colleague Catherine designed it, and it’s been incredibly well-received,” Tobias said. “We’re expanding the programme into London now, and the long-term ambition is to take it international.”
The real life impact
While the statistics are impressive, £26 million raised and 8 million children supported, Tobias is keen to highlight the real-world impact of the charity.
One example is their recent support for Zoe’s Place, a Liverpool-based children’s hospice that was at risk of closure last year. “The community came together to raise the £5 million needed to keep it going,” Tobias recalls. “We supported them by donating a safespace cot designed for play therapy, a small piece of equipment that made a big difference.”
Another case study comes from a Greenfold Special School in Bolton that’s received multiple donations, including adjustable beds, specialist hoists for their therapy pool, and even raised planters for a school gardening project.
MedEquip4Kids CEO, Dr. Ghazala Baig
MedEquip4Kids CEO, Dr. Ghazala Baig, said: “It has been an incredibly rewarding experience to be part of MedEquip4Kids for the past 25 years and a privilege to lead as CEO for the last fourteen.
“I’m always inspired when I hear from parents, schools, and families about how the equipment, facilities, and programmes we provided made lifechanging differences. Thank you to all the donors and volunteers who have supported us over the past 40 years.
“We look forward to continuing this vital work for many years to come.”
A vital resource for Greater Manchester’s children
With 1 in 5 young people experiencing a mental health condition, 60% of schools not being equipped with a Mental Health Support Team, and 75% of lifelong mental health conditions starting before the age of 18, MedEquip4Kids’ programme and CAMHS resources are critical to ensuring Britain’s children and young people are prepared for the future.
As the charity marks its 40th year, Tobias is clear that MedEquip4Kids has no intention of slowing down.
“Our aim is to go beyond the Northwest,” he said. “We want to expand our equipment donations across the UK and grow the Hummingbird Project into something that helps children all over the world.”
Despite the ambitious future, the core of the charity remains the same: providing practical, compassionate support where it’s needed most.
You can find out more about MedEquip4Kids by clicking here
