Member Article

Trio Inspire Business Bike Ride for Tiny Lives

A PROUD dad was joined by top North East business talent as he bids to raise money for the region’s sick and premature babies.

Inspired by the story of this Tyneside trio born weighing just a collective 9lb 1oz, 15 members of the business community took part in a 60 mile cycle ride from Ponteland to Rothbury, Northumberland and back to raise money for the Tiny Lives Trust.

The event was organised by their proud dad Dylan Christie, to say thank you for the care his children Aimee, Louis and Sofia received when his wife Joanne gave birth eight weeks early.

Tiny Lives supports the work of the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Newcastle’s RVI, which cares for 700 of the most premature and poorly babies from across the North East and Cumbria every year.

Dylan, who lives with wife Joanne in Gosforth, Newcastle said: “Aimee, Louis and Sofia, made their entrance into the world almost eight weeks early, weighing just 3lb 11oz, 3lb 3oz and 2lb 1oz. As it had been a triplet pregnancy we knew that the risks were high and that the babies would be born prematurely. The RVI has a specialist multiple birth team and so we knew we were in the best hands.

“Immediately after delivery, they were taken to Ward 35, otherwise known as the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at the RVI in Newcastle, where they stayed for between five to six weeks until they were strong enough to come home.

“Aimee and Louis came home first and Sofia had to stay in a bit longer, which was really hard leaving her behind, but she came out on Christmas Eve and so we were able to celebrate Christmas as a family. It was chaotic, but fantastic!

“During those early weeks we spent a lot of time in SCBU and got to see first-hand just how much incredible work is done there and how well all the staff on the ward look after the babies in their care.

“Unfortunately for many parents with babies in SCBU the journey doesn’t have the happy ending ours did, an ending we will be forever grateful for. Whilst we can never repay SCBU for the amazing care, support and compassion they showed us, we’d like to go a small way to giving something back by raising money for Tiny Lives.”

Dylan has recently opened the new Newcastle office of top flight recruiter Grays Executive Search.

He built up his own successful recruitment business in London - Christie-Mills - specialising in financial and legal executive search and splitting his time between the city and his family home in the North East. But the arrival of the triplets led him to return to Tyneside to lead what is the first executive recruiting office north of Leeds specialising in senior and board level recruitment across a range of sectors.

He hopes to use his experience, London connections and North East roots to help recruit leading business talent to the region through Grays Executive Search, which is backed by the highly successful recruitment giant Cordant Group.

He said: “With the huge level of investment and growth in the North East, from world-class firms to new developments such as Science Central, there is a rising demand for top level people in the region. We also have an exciting new economy - technology, media and telecoms, along with established industries such as automotive, financial and petrochemical businesses.

“The North East is a great place to live and work. I hope that I can use my knowledge of the region to really sell its benefits and help to bring the best people here to fill leading jobs

“There may be people who are thinking of moving back to their roots for family reasons like I did, or perhaps want a change of lifestyle and are looking to leave the city.

“There are skills shortages in the region and I hope that by having an office based here in the North East we can help to address that, rather than local recruiters having to turn to London agencies who don’t know the area and all it has to offer.”

The triplets, who will turn two in November, certainly keep their parents busy.

“When we had the first scan, we were told it was twins – then as they continued scanning they found another heartbeat and told us we were expecting triplets. We were in total shock, but delighted.

“For the first nine months after they were born, we were just completely sleep deprived,” says Dylan, 41. “We had to do the night feeds in shifts and they basically acted like a tag team: as soon as you got one off to sleep, one would start crying and they’d all wake up.

“Getting around was also an issue, we bought a triple pushchair, but it was so wide it wouldn’t fit through any doors!

“But we are really lucky, we have a close family who have supported us all the way. And they children are all amazing and all so different.”

Dylan has also been appointed as a trustee for Tiny Lives, which provides families on the unit with emotional and financial support, as well as funding equipment, specialist nursing, physiotherapy and research.

Carol Meredith, Head of Tiny Lives, said: “Without the support of families such as Dylan and Joanne, our work would not be possible. We are delighted that Aimee, Louis and Sofia are doing so well and grateful to all those who are supporting Dylan by joining on the bike ride.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Liz Walker .