Walsall Healthcare’s Well Wishers charity is celebrating the support of Tilly’s Tubes – a small UK company creating colourful, gentle and child-friendly accessories for children and adults who need to be tube fed.
The company was founded by mum Rachel and her stepdad Gian after Rachel’s daughter, Matilda (known as Tilly), was born at 28 weeks and has been tube fed since birth.
As Tilly grew and became more mobile, Rachel found the standard backpacks provided for feeding equipment were far too big and heavy for her tiny frame. Determined to find a better solution that was both practical and expressive, Rachel and Gian began designing their own lightweight pump-bag stands and fun patterned accessories – leading to the creation of Tilly’s Tubes.
Today, each transparent backpack includes a small backpack stand suitable for feeds up to 500ml, along with tubie tape or tummy pads and a twist-and-release ENFit disconnector tool.
For October, Tilly’s Tubes selected Well Wishers as its charity of the month.
Through a £1 add-on on its website, customers were able to donate a sheet of tubie tape with every purchase. Thanks to this initiative, Tilly’s Tubes has donated 30 sheets of tubie tape and two specialist backpacks to Walsall Healthcare’s Children’s Ward.
Rachel said: “Tilly has spent a lot of time in hospital, and as she became more mobile, everyday activities became harder. That’s why we created these products – they make things like pre-school, play centres and day-to-day life much more accessible. I’m proud to support others through this. I find strength in helping families who are going through what we’ve been through.”
Victoria Harrison, Paediatric Matron at Walsall Healthcare, said: “These thoughtful donations will help make tube feeding less daunting for our young patients. Having equipment that is lighter, more comfortable and child-friendly can make a big difference to a family’s experience of care. We are truly thankful for the support.”
Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager, added: “We’re incredibly grateful to Tilly’s Tubes for choosing us as its charity of the month. These donations will make a real difference for children and families who rely on feeding equipment every day.”