Family step up to support Stars Appeal’s Walk for Wards to thank Neonatal Unit

A Wiltshire mum is supporting the Stars Appeal’s sponsored walk to thank the “angels” on the Neonatal Unit at Salisbury District Hospital who cared for her baby.

Chantelle Perry and her family are taking part in Walk for Wards, the Stars Appeal’s flagship fundraising event, on Sunday, July 5 at Wilton House. The Stars Appeal is the charity for Salisbury District Hospital.

Her son Ryder was born two months early in October 2025 and spent four weeks on the Neonatal Unit. During this time, Chantelle and her partner Richard Hall were able to stay with him in the Stars Appeal parents’ accommodation.

Chantelle, 32, said: “To begin with, it was very scary, and we were very much in the unknown; however, the staff on the Neonatal Unit soon made us feel supported and cared for. People who donate to the Stars Appeal ensured that Ryder’s dad and I could stay in a bedroom next to the ward and could be with our son 24/7.

“We could take it in turns to sleep whilst the other was with Ryder. This gave us time to recoup, refresh, and relax knowing one of us was with him. Having Richard there to support me made a huge difference to me mentally, physically, and emotionally.”

The Stars Appeal parents’ accommodation on the Neonatal Unit provides four en suite family rooms, six ‘mother and baby’ rooms, plus a playroom, kitchen, and quiet room. It is one of the only Neonatal Units in the country where every mum can stay with their baby.

Chantelle, who lives in Collingbourne Ducis, about a 45-minute drive from the hospital, adds: “If we hadn’t been able to stay with Ryder, it would have been so much harder to process everything that was going on. Every mum wants to be with her baby, especially when they are poorly.”

The Stars Appeal also provides the latest equipment, including state-of-the-art incubators and phototherapy lamps to treat babies with jaundice, as well as soothing live music.

Chantelle said: “We cannot wait to do Walk for Wards. We are doing it to give something back to the Neonatal Unit. The staff are truly angels that walk this earth. The hours and love they put in to care for Ryder and our family was outstanding. We couldn’t have got through it all without the Neonatal Unit and the Stars Appeal who supported us every step of the way.”

To support families like Chantelle’s, sign up to Walk for Wards on Sunday, July 5, at Wilton House on the Stars Appeal website www.starsappeal.org/event/walk-for-wards/

Participants can walk 3k, 5k, 10k or 15k for their chosen ward or department at Salisbury Hospital. Registration is free, and entry includes lunch and admission to the Wilton House gardens and adventure playground.