Sparks and GOSH Charity announce merger

Two children’s medical charities Sparks and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Charity have announced they are to merge.

The move will take place at the end of this financial year (March 2021) and follows a resources and expertise sharing partnership between to the two charities that launched in 2017. This included the jointly funded paediatric research fund National Call.

Through the merger Sparks will retain its name within GOSH Charity.

Louise Parkes, joint chief executive of Sparks and GOSH Charity, said Sparks had been “hit particularly hard by the impact of Covid-19”.

As our valued supporter we wanted to share an important update about Sparks with you. Please click this link to read a letter from our CEO, Louise Parkes: https://t.co/DBZti7NWxK pic.twitter.com/mdgKDrwZSB
— Sparks Charity (@SparksCharity) October 22, 2020

She said: “So much of our fundraising relies on events, which have been severely disrupted. We need to ensure we make the best use of our resources to maximise our impact on the lives of seriously ill children.

“This is why we have made this decision to fully merge now, as being a single charity is the most efficient use of our resources moving forward.

“By doing this, we can guarantee the continuation of Sparks’ important work as GOSH Charity has committed to the same level of funding for research into rare and complex diseases.

“We will ensure the history of Sparks and its name will live on within GOSH Charity, and we will continue to fundraise through Sparks for the rest of this financial year.

“As our amazing supporters with a passion for making a difference, there are many ways you can continue to support vital child health research through GOSH Charity.”