£25,000 Raised at St George’s Hospital Charity’s Fifth Annual Abseil

After a quiet winter, it was brilliant to be back on-site on Friday 6th March, kicking off the year at a familiar venue with friendly faces, as we returned to the Pelican Hotel & Residence for the fifth year running.

This year, St George’s Hospital Charity welcomed 41 supporters to take on the abseil in aid of their ‘Time For Change’ campaign. They exceeded their target, raising an incredible £25,000 – around £600 per fundraiser, and a strong indicator of just how committed their supporters are.

It was great to see the support from the wider St George’s Hospital community. Finton House School, a local school near the hospital, had an enthusiastic group of teachers and parents who made up the majority of the abseilers. We also had six walk-ins from builders working on-site who spotted the abseil, and were keen to donate to be able to take part!

One especially heartwarming contribution came from a local corner shop owner, who made a one-off donation of £200 after seeing the event. He shared that many of his customers are either being treated at the hospital or have loved ones on the wards, so he wanted to give something back.

Dulcie Newbold, Community and Events Manager, kindly shared her thoughts from the day:

“The 2026 Abseil was a fantastic event for us. Despite the rain, participants made their way down the building with smiles on their faces. Everyone taking part had a connection to Finton House, some were good friends, while others met for the first time at the event.

It was heartwarming to see such a strong sense of community spirit, with everyone cheering each other on. As always, Big Bang Experiences were exceptional too! They were incredibly helpful and great at making everyone feel at ease.”

This annual abseil has taken place in support of St George’s Hospital Charity since 2022. Over the past five years, this one-day event has raised a combined £174,700+ for the hospital – a great example of how a simple idea can become a repeatable fundraising model, bringing the community together year after year.

NHS Abseils

In 2026, the abseil supported the ‘Time For Change’ campaign, which aims to raise £5m to transform the hospital’s children’s wards. These wards care for around 4,000 young people each year, and plans include brighter, more welcoming spaces, new play areas, improved family spaces, and upgraded washrooms – helping to match the world-class care provided by NHS staff. You can find out more about the campaign here.

Big Bang is proud to provide a platform for St George’s to fundraise, and it means a lot to be invited back each year. Dulcie also shared that many fundraisers would happily take part again, with discussions already underway about expanding to a two-day event next year, which is hugely positive to hear.

Once again, well done to everyone who took part this March, as well as over the past five years. We’re looking forward to seeing that £174k total grow even further in 2027 and beyond.

If this sounds like something that could be beneficial for your own charity's fundraising efforts, get in touch with our team who can tell you more about how this model works.

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