Give it up for GOSH

Whether you’re cutting out cakes or saying goodbye to a G&T, get your friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you and make a difference to seriously ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

6 March - 18 April

Lent is the 40 days before Easter and many people choose to use this as an opportunity to give something up.

It could be a curbing a craving for soft drinks or pizza, or even taking up a new healthy habit, like heading back to the gym. Here are a few ways that your sacrifice can help the hospital’s incredible work…

£35 – what you might spend on a takeaway meal for two – could pay for one night’s stay in nearby family accommodation, so parents can stay close by while their child is in hospital.

£110 – the average family spend on chocolate each year - could fund a member of the multi-faith chaplaincy team for one day, providing spiritual care and support to patients, families and staff at the hospital.

£130 – the same cost as just one cup of coffee every week for a year - could pay for everything a play team member needs for one day. Through play, these GOSH superheroes ensure children feel in control, calm, informed about what’s happening, and most importantly, able to be children.

Simply follow the steps below and kick off your Give it up for GOSH fundraising!

• Firstly, choose something to give up – chocolate, wine, caffeine… you decide.
• Set up your JustGiving page and start fundraising now. 
• Share your challenge with friends and family and ask them to support you. Download our sponsorship form.
• Complete your fundraising by ordering a cardboard collection box to sit on your kitchen table or desk at work.
• If you get really stuck, you can use the cheat sheet – remember to make a donation to GOSH in return!

Here's why Carol and the rest of her family (pictured above) gave it up for GOSH.

Matthew is treated at GOSH for Scimitar Syndrome, a rare congenital condition that affects his heart and lungs. As a thank you for the world-class care he receives, his mum Carol and the rest of the family decided to give it up for GOSH.

“My husband Colin and I have cut out cake and puddings from our diet – a huge challenge given I have a really sweet tooth. Our daughter Hannah has given up sweets and fizzy drinks and Matthew has given up computer games, which for a teenage boy is very hard indeed!" Carol says.

"Having seen everything that Matthew has been through over the years, it was the least we could do. The struggle we faced giving these up for GOSH was nothing compared to his challenges and the bravery he has shown."

Carol's top tips:

1. Get as many people as you can involved for moral support – and to stop you when they see you near the sweets!
2. Every time you get a craving for something, put the amount it would cost into a collection box so you can see the impact you are making instead of succumbing.
3. Congratulate yourself afterwards! By the end of your challenge, not only will you have achieved a great personal goal, you will have made a difference to hundreds of patients and their families who arrive at GOSH every day.