The Grand Appeal - 21 Years Taking Care Of Bristol's Children
Posted on: 16 May 2016This year will mark the 21st birthday of The Grand Appeal - the Wallace and Gromit fronted charity that cares so fondly for Bristol Children’s Hospital. It has just announced an astonishing £40million in fundraising!
The Grand Appeal was founded in 1995 to raise funds to build a brand new children’s hospital in Bristol. This would replace the old Victorian building on St Michael’s Hill and be the first in the UK designed specifically around children. Interestingly, 2016 also marks the 150th anniversary of the very first Bristol Children’s Hospital, which opened on Royal Fort Road in 1866.
A special video has been released to commemorate the occasion...
Nick Park, Peter Lord and David Sproxton - of Bristol-based Aardman - donated the use of their much-loved Oscar winning friends Wallace & Gromit to spearhead the fundraising, and support flooded in from fundraisers, businesses, grant-making organisations and trusts all over the South West. By 2001, the charity had raised an incredible £12million and the hospital opened its doors.
Since then, The Grand Appeal has continued to fundraise tirelessly for the hospital, funding life-saving medical equipment and pioneering new facilities that keep it among the very best in the country. As well as this, it funds patient-friendly artwork, playrooms and therapies to keep children’s comfort and wellbeing at the heart of the hospital.
Bristol Children’s Hospital now treats more than 100,000 critically ill children and babies a year, from across the largest geographic area of any children’s hospital in England.
Nicola Masters, director, The Grand Appeal, “When The Grand Appeal was launched in 1995 we had no idea of the overwhelming support we would receive, and continue to receive, from across Bristol, the South West and South Wales, not least from Nick Park, Peter Lord and David Sproxton of Aardman.
“We are proud that with the public’s incredible support we have raised £40 million in the 21 years since the charity was founded. We are constantly overwhelmed by the dedication, creativity and energy of our amazing fundraisers and volunteers. Thanks to them we have transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of critically-ill children and their families, and we can’t thank them enough for their continued support.
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“Bristol is the charity’s home as well as the home of Aardman and of Wallace & Gromit, and since our very first appeal the people, businesses and communities here have taken our cause, Bristol Children’s Hospital, to their hearts. The hospital has saved the lives of our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, brothers, sisters and friends; you would be hard pushed to find someone in Bristol whose lives haven’t been touched by the inspirational doctors and nurses, who we are so lucky to have on our doorsteps.”
Peter Lord, co-founder of Aardman and chairman of The Grand Appeal, said, “The Grand Appeal’s 21st anniversary and the £40million it has raised in that time is a true cause for celebration. I remember the first meeting when the charity approached us and we all decided that Wallace and Gromit would be the perfect figureheads for a new appeal. It seemed then, and it still seems, the perfect partnership for Bristol, and we’re delighted to have been able to help make a huge difference to sick children’s lives. Since then, it has been a great honour for me to stay so closely involved with the charity’s work - currently as its chairman.
“Everyone at Aardman is proud of our very special relationship with The Grand Appeal, and the part Wallace and Gromit have had to play in all of the amazing things the charity has achieved. Here’s to the next 21 years!”
Nicola Masters continued, “We have a host of exciting events and fundraising ideas over the course of our anniversary this year to help us mark this very special occasion, and will also be sharing incredible stories and photos from the 150 years that there has been a children’s hospital here in Bristol. We hope people across Bristol, the South West and South Wales join in and celebrate with us this year, and set us on our way to the next £40 million!”
For more information about The Grand Appeal, visit www.grandappeal.org.uk
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Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
