Beloved author Dame Jacqueline Wilson and long-time Ambassador Oritsé join Rays of Sunshine to help young hospital patients celebrate World Book Day

Young patients at Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital and Evelina London didn’t need to worry about missing out on World Book Day celebrations this year, thanks to special days planned by Rays of Sunshine and attended by beloved author Dame Jacqueline Wilson and long-time Ambassador Oritsé.

As part of the charity’s Sunshine in Hospitals programme, a jam-packed day of fun was planned for the young patients at Brighton’s Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital. At the centre of it was Jacqueline Wilson, beloved author of more than 100 books aimed at young people and adults.

The day began with an interactive writing workshop in the Hospital School, where Jacqueline shared insights into her creative process, answered questions from budding writers, and encouraged children to turn their own ideas into stories.

Rays of Sunshine also brought joy to young patients at Evelina London, with help from our kind Ambassador Oritsé Williams. The day was spent giving out official World Book Day books, sharing stories, smiles and special moments with children receiving treatment.

The events formed part of Rays of Sunshine’s Sunshine in Hospitals programme, an initiative designed to bring joy into hospital settings, provide positive distractions to young people going through medical treatment, and help alleviate feelings of loneliness for seriously ill children and their families.

In total, Rays of Sunshine was able to send out more than 2,000 activity packs to 30 hospitals around the country, to support Play Teams in celebrating World Book Day with their young patients. Additionally, we gave out more than 2,600 books to children and young people spending time in hospital – many of which we bought by generous supporters via our Amazon Wishlist.

Amy Chambers, CEO at Rays of Sunshine, said: “World Book Day is a moment when children everywhere are encouraged to find joy in reading, and we believe that being in hospital shouldn’t mean missing out on that magic.

“Through our Sunshine in Hospitals programme, we’re committed to projects like these, creating joyful experiences that offer comfort, spark imagination and reduce feelings of isolation for children and young people.”

Read all about our World Book Day work: