Make an Impact
Support our family of hospitals
Every day we see first-hand the impact of charitable support in our hospitals. We raise funds that go over and above core NHS provision to make a difference, ensuring our patients – young and old – receive the very best treatment in the very best facilities.
With your help we:
- Enable the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment for diagnosis and treatment
- Fund pioneering medical research to improve our understanding of illnesses and how best to treat them, and
- Create welcoming, friendly environments that allow patients, and their families, to feel at ease during their time in our care.
The projects listed on this page are just some of the incredible ways you can help us to make an impact this year.
Play Therapy
Supporting children in hospital through the power of play
For children in hospital, play is medicine too. From games consoles and arts and crafts to sensory equipment and imaginative play, our Therapeutic Play Team help our young patients to adjust to their time in hospital, manage their fears and support their recovery.
Our specialist Play Team work across all wards at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital as well as its satellite services at Trafford General Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital, supporting children and young people throughout their hospital journey.
They help our young patients prepare for procedures, treatments and surgery in a way that is reassuring and fun, using play to explain what will happen and reduce uncertainty. During treatments, they provide distraction and therapeutic activities to help children cope, while also offering guidance and support to families and staff.
They also work with children to provide activities that will relieve boredom and create valuable moments of escapism from the distress and anxiety that a stay in hospital can bring.
Burns Camp
Supporting burn injured children to rebuild confidence and self-esteem
Burn injuries can require years of painful treatments and aftercare and children can face many problems adapting to their scars, rebuilding their self-confidence and reintegrating into a society that isn’t always kind to people who look different.
Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital’s Burns Unit, which is the largest specialist Burns Unit in the UK, runs two week-long, residential Burns Camps each year – one camp for younger children (aged 5-10) and one for older children (aged 11-16). Both camps provide fun activities geared towards rehabilitation and increasing self-esteem.
CREW Project
Giving young people a voice through music
Young people admitted to Galaxy House, the inpatient mental health unit at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, are often in crisis. Many are living with severe and complex mental health conditions, struggling to engage or express how they feel during some of the most difficult times of their lives.
Through structured music-making and creative expression, the Creativity, Resilience, Enablement and Wellbeing (CREW) project offers young people the opportunity to work alongside specialist practitioners to write lyrics, produce original music, and share their feelings in a safe and supportive environment. For those who find it hard to put their feelings into words, music offers a safe way to be heard, helping them express emotions and begin to rebuild their confidence and self-esteem.
Funded entirely through donations, this work is life-changing. CREW gives young people a voice when they need it most, helping them reconnect with themselves and supporting their recovery at a critical point in their care. It also helps the staff caring for them to better understand what they are going through, so they can offer the right support when it matters most.
Youth Service
Empowering children and young people with long term health conditions
For young people living with long-term health conditions, everyday life can feel overwhelming. Alongside managing their health, they often face challenges with confidence, independence, and being able to speak up about what they need.
The MFT Youth Service works with children and young people aged 11-25 who are cared for in our hospitals. They support patients to navigate the challenges posed by their health condition, both in hospital and at home, by building their confidence and resilience, and empowering them to find their own voice. Whether that’s preparing for appointments, understanding their condition, or connecting with others facing similar experiences, the service helps them feel more in control and less alone. It also provides vital support as they approach and transition into adult services.
Funded entirely through charitable support, this pioneering service is the only one of its kind in the North West and is already making a real difference to our patients, helping them to feel seen, heard and understood.
Songbirds
Providing music therapy for critically ill children
Children cared for in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) are critically unwell, and are often unable to speak, move, or respond in familiar ways. For their loved ones, this can be an incredibly distressing and uncertain time, where even the smallest moments of connection matter.
The Songbirds@RMCH programme brings specialist musicians into Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital to work alongside clinical and therapeutic teams in PICU, to offer live, responsive music tailored to each child. Each session is shaped around the child’s individual needs, creating moments of comfort and connection.
For some children, particularly those who are unable to communicate verbally, music offers a way to reach them – helping to ease anxiety and creating precious moments of connection between children and their families during the most difficult circumstances.
Your support makes projects like these – and many more like them – possible.
If you would like to make a difference for our patients and their families, donate now or get in touch to find out more. Together, we can achieve great things.
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