Mum to hold fundraiser for charity inspired by Colchester Hospital

But after halting the running of her mobile drinks bar – and then giving birth to her first son during the height of Covid – Paige decided she wanted to give something back to thank those who helped her through perhaps the most stressful few months anyone could have imagined.

Paige has her own business, Masons Mobile Bar.

The bar specialises in catering for weddings, private parties and corporate events.

The early days appeared to be going well with much of the 2020 calendar year fully booked up.

But as with all small business owners, Paige, who is 30 and lives in Great Bentley, had her plans thrown into disarray – and all the while she was pregnant with her first child.

As she went into labour with her son six weeks prematurely last April, the level of care she received from the maternity nurses at Colchester Hospital – who had to work within the straitjacket of Covid restrictions – compelled her to repay their selflessness.

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Such were the new-fangled rules and regulations in place, Paige couldn’t even spend her first night as a mother in hospital with her son – but she praised the care that the maternity nurses on the neonatal ward gave newborn baby Ace.

Ace & one of his favourite nurses Flossiey

She said: “With everything going on during the pandemic, I couldn’t stay the night with Ace, and I couldn’t be there with my fiancé but my son was in brilliant care.”

Paige and husband-to-be Mark Kerridge, 31, were allowed to visit their son during the day but only individually.

“I would go home in the evening and then my partner would go and spend some time with Ace after dinner,” she said.

However, thanks to the nurses on the neonatal ward, the couple would often wake up to a picture sent to them of their newborn first thing each morning.

“The nurses would send us pictures, so every morning we would wake up to a photo of Ace, and sometimes the nurses would send a video,” said Paige.

Ace at two days old

“During Covid, you’re worried enough as it is, but the nurses were just so good.”

The new parents were not able to take Ace home for ten days.

Nurses even took the time to teach Mark some of the fundamentals which parents normally have to learn themselves.

“The nurses taught Mark a lot,” said Paige.

Ace as he is now

“They taught him how to hold the baby and how to change a nappy whereas, if I was at home, I think I would have just nagged him.”

She was so grateful for the support and comfort provided by the neonatal nurses at Colchester Hospital, she has decided to organise a fundraiser for a charity called Wish Upon a Fairy, which supports the doctors, nurses, and parents at Colchester Hospital’s neonatal unit.

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Ace with parents Paige and Mark

It was simply through chance she came across the charity.

Paige said: “I was on the lookout for different charities that supported the neonatal unit and I came across Wish Upon a Fairy while they were going around getting Easter Egg donations.

“I wanted to do something close to my heart, so it was a no-brainer for me to fundraise for them.

“They are a new charity, so it will give them a boost as well.”

Ace with dad Mark

The Wish Upon a Fairy charity, which only started last year, acts as “fairy godmothers” for the staff on the neonatal ward, and uses donations to grant any wishes they have to improve the ward or support the staff.

Paige’s fundraising efforts for Wish Upon a Fairly will culminate tomorrow when there will be a charity family fun day on Brightlingsea’s Freelands Farm – complete with alpacas and other farmyard animals.

She said: “I didn’t think it was going to be such a big event but with everyone’s help it’s turning into something large scale.

“We have got a lot of businesses coming with their stalls, so there will be a lot of different activities for the children to do, and all the stuff you would expect.”

She continued: “We will have a magician and a balloon artist, live singers, face painting and crafts, and everyone will be able to see the alpacas.”

“I have never done anything like this before, but whenever there are events in Brightlingsea there is always a good turn-out.”

And with a healthy son and her business on the up again, Paige must sometimes feel as if the fairy godmothers in Colchester’s neo-natal ward are still watching over her.