This year our chosen charity is The Grand Appeal. Supporting Bristol Children's Hospital, The Grand Appeal strives to ensure the hospital has the latest in advanced medical equipment, giving every child the very best chance in life.
We decided to support the Grand Appeal after a family member was treated for a serious illness and benefitted from the brilliant care and support that the Bristol Children's Hospital provides, thanks in part to the wonderful Grand Appeal charity.
Founded in 1995, The Grand Appeal raised funds for a new building for Bristol Children’s Hospital to replace the Victorian building on St Michael’s Hill. Animation legends Nick Park, Peter Lord, and David Sproxton of Aardman Animations allowed them to use their iconic characters Wallace & Gromit to spearhead the fundraising.
The Grand Appeal has gone from strength to strength ever since, fundraising to provide life saving medical equipment, fund medical research into children's health and also to support patients and their families. The charity has raised over £50 million since 1995.
By harnessing pioneering technology, expert hospital staff can take part in, and lead on, ground-breaking clinical trials – making sure Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit remain at the forefront of paediatric healthcare, improving childhood health for generations to come.
The Grand Appeal has put top technology in the most talented hands. Like the UK’s first-ever children’s Cardiac Hybrid Theatre or an intraoperative 3T MRi Scanner – one of only three in children’s hospitals across Europe – and a ground-breaking neurorobot, which helps brain surgeons perform major neurosurgical operations with pinpoint precision.
Not only fundraising for medical equipment, The Grand Appeal supports families with accommodation, having three family accommodation houses available to families. Opened in 2020, Grand Appeal House is home to parents of critically ill children in both the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Bristol Children’s Hospital. It gives families the space to sleep, eat and recharge.
From Family Support Practitioners to Music Therapists and their Grand Appeal Sensory Play Practitioner, their specialist hospital staff are here to help patients and families every step of the way.
The next groundbreaking project is the Grand Appeal Patient Hotel - providing residential facilities to allow children to leave the clinical environment of the hospital building once their intensive treatment and care is coming to an end. By offering a home-away-from-home facility for young patients to stay with their families, the new Patient Hotel will enable patients to continue their therapy and rehabilitation thereby setting a new standard in care, comfort, and support – transforming the lives of patients and their families at Bristol Children’s Hospital.
The latest fundraising event was the inaugural Grand Walk in September, a fabulous day that raised over £30,000 for the Bristol Children's Hospital and NICU in St. Michael's Hospital. We were super proud to take part and had a wonderful day.
With your support they can continue to ensure Bristol Children’s Hospital and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit remain at the forefront of paediatric healthcare, helping to save the lives of sick children from across the South West and beyond.
How we support The Grand Appeal?
- 100% of the proceeds of our "Wonky Stock" is donated
- Ex-demo toys and games are donated to be used in the play areas for children and their visitors
- End of line or surplus stock is donated to be used as craft activities for children, birthday and Christmas presents and leaving presents.
Please consider supporting this amazing charity too, you can donate directly, buy Wallace & Gromit gifts from their online store or take part in any of their brilliant events ⭐