Stronger together: Celebrating 10 years of BBK by Contact’s side

4 mins read

Monday 6 July 2026

Tags: by your side, Corporate partners, Support for parents in hospital

When your child is in hospital, life can feel overwhelming and stressful. There are appointments to keep track of, unfamiliar medical language to understand and important decisions to make – all while trying to be there for your child. That’s why Contact’s By Your Side team is there. Our parent carer advisors offer a friendly face, practical advice and emotional support, helping parents with children in hospital find the support and answers they need at one of the most stressful times of their lives.

This year, we’re celebrating an important milestone – 10 years of support from legal firm Bolt Burdon Kemp (BBK). Their decade long partnership has helped make By Your Side a trusted source of support for families at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Evelina Children’s Hospital in London.

Support when – and where – it matters most

Having By Your Side advisers based in hospital means families can access free information and support when they need it, without having to book an appointment. Whether parents have questions about benefits, education, emotional wellbeing or simply need someone to listen, Contact’s By Your Side team are there to help them navigate the challenges of caring for a disabled or seriously ill child.

Ruth Stone from our London team of By Your Side advisers said:

“When a child is in hospital, parents can often feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. Thanks to BBK’s incredible support over the past 10 years, our By Your Side team has been there to offer practical guidance, reassurance and a listening ear when families need it most. For families, that can be life-changing. Having someone who understands what they’re going through, can explain their options and point them towards the right support helps parents feel more informed, more confident and less alone. It has helped us build a service that families can truly rely on.”

Over the last decade, BBK’s support has helped Contact:

  • Maintain a regular face-to-face presence at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Evelina Children’s Hospital.
  • Support hundreds of parent carers when they are with their child in hospital.
  • Build trusted relationships with families and hospital teams.
  • Provide consistent, high-quality support year after year.

More than a funding partner

BBK’s support has always been about more than funding.

Over the years, they have fundraised for Contact by taking on the London Marathon, shared their expertise through webinars, podcasts and blogs for parent carers, provided meeting and training spaces, and helped raise awareness of the challenges families face. This year, Maya Englesberg from BBK continued that tradition by running the London Marathon for Contact.

Caroline Klage, brain injury lawyer at legal firm BBK and parent carer, says:

“We’re incredibly proud to have supported Contact’s By Your Side service for the past decade. Seeing the difference it makes for families facing some of the toughest moments of their lives has made this partnership so meaningful for everyone at BBK. We believe long-term partnerships create lasting change, and we’re delighted to continue supporting Contact so that even more parent carers can access the information and support they need. We look forward to continuing to work together to help even more parent carers in the years ahead.”

Thank you BBK!

Thank you to everyone at BBK for standing by Contact and, most importantly, standing by the families who have benefited from By Your Side over the last 10 years.

Here’s to the next decade of making a difference together.