Rachael MarshSector leader

Biography

Rachael Marsh is co-founder of the Ickle Pickles Children's Charity, which she established with her husband Andy in 2009 after their son Charlie was born at 28 weeks gestation and spent 86 days in a neonatal unit. She oversees the charity's daily operations across a range of roles. The charity raises funds to purchase specialist neonatal equipment — including incubators, ventilators and transport incubators — for NHS neonatal units and transport services across England and Wales. Since 2009 it has raised more than £4 million and donated over 900 pieces of equipment to more than 50 neonatal units and three neonatal transport services. Marsh has argued publicly that sustained NHS budget pressure leaves all neonatal units with urgent unmet equipment needs, and that community-based charitable fundraising is essential to fill the gap. She has also written for the British Journal of Midwifery on the charity's work supporting premature babies.

References

1. 1.About Ickle Pickles Charity for Neonatal Care — Ickle Pickles — Confirms Rachael Marsh's co-founder role and her oversight of daily operations
2. 2.Charlie's Story — Ickle Pickles — Rachael Marsh's own account of founding the charity following her son's premature birth in 2008; confirms 900+ pieces of equipment donated
3. 3.Our Work — Ickle Pickles — Confirms £4 million raised, 900+ equipment pieces donated, 50+ neonatal units and 3 transport services supported since 2009
4. 4.UK charity launches video to raise awareness of neonatal care on World Prematurity Day — Pressat — Direct press quote from Rachael Marsh on NHS budget pressure and neonatal equipment needs
5. 5.Giving every newborn a chance — British Journal of Midwifery

Expertise

Cited on

• Maternity & neonatal

Stated areas of expertise

• Neonatal equipment funding
• Premature and sick baby care
• NHS neonatal unit support
• Charitable fundraising for health
• Parent and family support in neonatal care

Notable achievements

• Co-founded Ickle Pickles in 2009 and grew it to raise more than £4 million, donating over 900 pieces of equipment to more than 50 neonatal units and three neonatal transport services across England and Wales. Source ↗
• By end of 2014 the charity had raised £1 million and donated neonatal equipment to units in London, Tunbridge Wells, Worthing, Sheffield, Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, Ormskirk, Barnsley and Portsmouth. Source ↗
• Raised over £500,000 in 2025 alone, donating 111 pieces of life-saving equipment to neonatal units across the country. Source ↗
• Secured a £25,000 grant from the Morrisons Foundation to fund a specialist incubator for the neonatal unit at King's College Hospital, London. Source ↗

What they’ve said

• “Virtual tours enable families to see the environment where their infant will be cared for. This may be useful in the weeks leading up to birth, after delivery, or as part of a transfer from another hospital. In all these circumstances it is hoped that being able to look at the environment will reduce any anxiety associated with entering somewhere unfamiliar.”

  Co-Founder of Ickle Pickles · Maternity & neonatal · 12 Aug 2026 · Virtual 3D Tour of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at King’s ↗

Source references

1. Virtual 3D Tour of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at King’skch.nhs.uk · 12 Aug 2026

Contact & links

• Websitehttps://www.icklepickles.orgpublished here ↗
• Staff pagehttps://www.icklepickles.org/about-us/
• LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-marsh-3010aa29/
• Press office emailinfo@icklepickles.orgpublished here ↗

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.