Dad who lost twins raises £2m for vulnerable babies

Trevor Goodall has spent three decades raising money for neonatal units

A father whose twin sons died after being born prematurely has raised more than £2m to help other vulnerable babies.

Trevor Goodall founded New Life in 1995 after his sons, Joshua and Samuel, died. They suffered complications after being born three months prematurely at Princess Margaret Hospital in Swindon, which has since been replaced by the Great Western Hospital.

Mr Goodall has spent three decades raising funds for neonatal units and maternity departments across the country, and has now been nominated for the BBC's Make a Difference Awards.

He said: "They gave me the spirit to keep going. And I'll never stop wanting to do wonderful things for others in their name."

Speaking about surpassing £2m in donations, he added: "I just wanted to make a little bit of a difference. To have reached this milestone is unbelievable - it's just fantastic."

More than £800,000 has been donated to the team at Great Western Hospital.

Part of the money was spent on the hospital's first infant feeding room in the new children's emergency unit.

The space features a reclining breastfeeding chair, offering families a private environment to feed or change their babies.

'Helping more babies'

Money has also been given to the hospital's maternity department, supporting the development of a transitional care unit which allows babies undergoing treatment to stay close to their parents.

Since it began, New Life has funded incubators, ventilators, respirators, breast pumps, and other essential neonatal equipment.

Mr Goodall said: "If I can help even one family not go through what I went through, then that's a big help."

Decades later, his efforts have helped thousands of families. He credits his supporters with making it all possible.

"The more money I raise, the more babies I can help," he said. "If I can give them a better life, that's a lovely feeling for me."

In recognition of his efforts, Mr Goodall has been nominated for a BBC Make a Difference Award in the Fundraiser category.

The awards celebrate those who go above and beyond in their communities.

He said the nomination is both "humbling" and "an honour".