We are so grateful to our founding and forever partner, McDonald’s, for their latest fundraising initiative, around the Shamrock Shake, where participating restaurants will donate 20p from each sale of the Shamrock Shake to Ronald McDonald House Charities UK*.   

^{*Not all McDonald’s restaurants will be participating}

Since Ronald McDonald House Charities UK was founded in 1989, McDonald’s and its Franchisees have raised an estimated £120 million, which goes towards accommodating and supporting thousands of families with sick children in hospital ever year.

In 1974, Fred Hill, a Philadelphia Eagles player, had a daughter with leukaemia, and the team raised in excess of $100k for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. This gift was received by oncologist Dr Audrey Evans, who responded with a request for another $32,000 to fund a House in which families of children in the hospital could get proper rest, away from the ward.

This request was met by Ed Rensi, a manager for McDonald’s, who had the idea of donating proceeds from the ‘Shamrock Shake’. Thanks to these early supporters, the first Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in Philadelphia on 15 October 1974.

Globally, the Ronald McDonald House Charities programs support families by providing stability and the vital resources they need to focus on what’s most important – their child.The best medical care for your child isn’t always close to home, and families often find themselves travelling long distances to be with their child in hospital. 

We are passionate about the support we give to families each year. Since 1989, in the UK we have supported over 95,000 families from all walks of life, living in the UK or coming from abroad for specialist care. For those families, staying close to their child in hospital receiving care is the number one priority.