Big Breakfast, Big Impact
A gift of £17,250.00 to Birch Ward and Bracken Ward
Eighteen months ago, a local farmer, known and loved by his community, went to the opticians for a routine eye test. The optician noticed something unusual and advised further checks. Within days he was receiving care at Derriford Hospital and beginning an unexpected haematology journey with Birch Ward and Bracken Ward.
Over that time, he and his family built strong relationships with the ward teams. When you spend so many weeks and months together, you do not just meet patients, you come to know the person and their family. Trust grows. Familiarity grows. Care runs both ways.
A group of family friends, led by Beckie Breyley, decided they wanted to do something meaningful to say thank you. In Callington and the surrounding area, community fundraising breakfasts are already a bit of a tradition. People gather, talk, laugh, share news and eat together. This time, they came together to show support for one family and to recognise the care being given on the wards.
They booked the town hall and hoped that perhaps a couple of hundred people would join them.
Word spread quickly. More people offered to bake. Local businesses donated ingredients. Volunteers appeared.
On the day, 560 people came through the doors. People paid for breakfast and then paid again. Someone put £30 into the pot for a slice of lemon drizzle cake. Others shared that their own lives had been touched by Birch or Bracken and they wanted to contribute too.
The total raised was extraordinary. £17,250.00 in a single morning.
A while later, members of the fundraising group and the family came to Derriford to present the donation. As they arrived outside the ward, the space filled with staff, patients and visitors. There were hugs, smiles and tears. The emotion in the corridor was unmistakable. It was a moment of pure generosity and gratitude.
The donation will allow the wards to transform a tired family and visitors room into a calm, comfortable space. Somewhere that feels warm, private and less clinical. A place where families can decompress, sit together and have conversations away from the bedside. It will also be used by teenage cancer patients who often need somewhere informal and safe to spend time during treatment.
When the ward team heard what the donation would enable, they were visibly moved. One nurse said:
“When someone chooses to give back like this, it means everything. We are proud of our care and proud of our team, but to know that a family feels that care and wants to do something in return is incredibly humbling.”
We are deeply grateful to Beckie and to every single person who gave their time, their energy and their kindness to make this happen. The love shown that day in Callington will be felt on Birch and Bracken for a long time to come.
This gift will transform more than a room. It will transform experiences and give comfort. The care that inspired it changes lives.