The Ickle Pickles Children's Charity has announced Paralympic wheelchair fencer Gemma Collis will attend the upcoming 28K Incubator Push at Tooting Common on Saturday 18 April. The family-friendly event will raise vital funds and awareness for babies who require specialist neonatal care.
The challenge is exactly what it sounds like. Participants will take turns pushing a road-worthy neonatal incubator for 28 kilometres, symbolising the charity’s goal of raising £28,000, the cost of a single incubator used in neonatal intensive care units.
It’s a powerful and visible reminder of just how essential this equipment is for premature and seriously ill newborns.
A Special Guest with a Personal Story
Gemma Collis will help kick off the event, meet supporters and join participants during the day. Her presence is particularly meaningful because she understands the neonatal journey personally.
Gemma was born prematurely at just 29 weeks, weighing only 2lb 11oz. Her early days were spent in neonatal care after complications that required specialist treatment, including a transfer to the John Radcliffe Hospital.
Today she is a triple Wheelchair Fencing World Cup winner and former world number one, demonstrating the extraordinary outcomes that can be possible with the right medical care and support in those fragile early weeks of life.
Over 90,000 babies require neonatal care in the UK every year, and the specialised equipment used to treat them is both complex and costly.
An incubator alone can cost around £28,000, while neonatal care itself can reach £2,000 per day. That’s where the work of the Ickle Pickles Children's Charity becomes so important. The charity focuses specifically on funding intensive and special-care equipment for neonatal units across England and Wales, helping hospitals give vulnerable newborns the very best chance of survival and recovery.
For the Tooting event, the charity is partnering with First Touch, which supports babies and families at St George’s neonatal unit.
How to Get Involved
The 28K Incubator Push will take place from 10am to 4pm at Tooting Common. Supporters can sign up to push a lap, form a team, or simply come along and cheer on participants while learning more about neonatal care and the charity’s work.
Events like this combine community spirit with a powerful cause — helping ensure that every tiny baby who needs specialist care has access to the equipment that can save their life.
To find out more or register for the event, visit:
https://theicklepickles.enthuse.com/cf/the-incubator-push-events-series-2026
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