Rays of Sunshine gives children’s hospitals chance to receive £20,000 for innovative project

Rays of Sunshine is re-launching the Sunshine in Hospitals Grant, sponsored by Lockton, to give a one-off award of £20,000 to a UK hospital, hospice or other healthcare setting to fund an innovative project that will support seriously ill young people.

The Sunshine in Hospitals grant, sponsored by long-standing charity corporate partner Lockton, aims to fund a long-lasting and impactful project.  

The Children’s Hospital Charity, which supports Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, used the previous grant to fund a ground-breaking immersive technology kit within the playroom of their ward for children and teenagers with cancer and blood disorders, which was undergoing a multimillion-pound transformation. 

The new technology has helped hundreds of children who can interact with their surroundings in the playroom, be transported to different scenes across the world, play games and prepare for potentially intimidating moments in treatment such as scans, all from the safety of the ward. 

To apply for the grant, the hospital must care for children who would be eligible for a wish from Rays of Sunshine, and the grant must be used to fund a long-lasting and impactful project which would benefit these children, in one or more of the following areas:  

• Reduce anxiety surrounding the hospital/hospice environment. 
• Reduce the sense of loneliness and isolation. 
• Improve the mental well-being of both seriously ill children and their families. 
• Enhancing the hospital or hospice experience for seriously ill children and their families.                         

 Applications will be assessed on: 

• Strength of project – how well it has been scoped in terms of need and impact. 
• Innovation – how well the project finds new ways of solving existing issues for seriously ill children. 
• Potential number of beneficiaries. 
• Project sustainability and long-term impact. 

Simon Coleman, Trustee at Lockton Charitable Association, said: “As part of our Partnership with Rays of Sunshine we are delighted for the opportunity to sponsor the Sunshine in Hospitals Grant this year. We have seen the success and impact of the previous grant and are excited to support this initiative.” 

Catherine Foster, Head of Trusts & Philanthropy at The Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We remain exceedingly grateful to Rays of Sunshine for their investment in this incredible equipment which will have an impact on our young patients for generations to come.” 

Karen Miles, Project Manager for Hospital Services at Rays of Sunshine, said: “We are delighted to bring back our Sunshine in Hospitals grant to help brighten the lives of children in hospitals across the UK.  

“Together with our partner Lockton, we’re excited to support innovative projects that will help to reduce anxiety, loneliness and isolation surrounding the hospital and hospice environment for seriously ill children and their families.”                         

For more information about Sunshine in Hospitals Grant go to: raysofsunshine.org.uk\sunshine-in-hospitals-grant