Over 4,000 children, young people and their families have enjoyed Alder Hey’s MediCinema since it opened.
24th November marked the first anniversary of the MediCinema’s official opening at Alder Hey.
A partnership between MediCinema, Alder Hey Children’s Charity and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, this specially designed cinema seats 34 people and enables children to enjoy films from their beds or wheelchairs, alongside their families and a nursing team. It means they can experience the latest releases just like any other cinemagoer while still receiving the care they need.
The MediCinema here at Alder Hey officially opened its doors for patients and families through an exclusive early screening of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2, ahead of the film’s premiere in London’s Leicester Square, later in the day.
Since then, over 4,000 children, young people and their families have enjoyed the therapeutic benefits of the shared cinema experience, transforming their time in hospital.
A year of movie magic
Over the past 12 months, MediCinema at Alder Hey has hosted UK premieres of Disney’s Moana 2, Warner Bros. Pictures’ A Minecraft Movie and Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good, as well as regular ‘Fun in the Foyer’ arts and crafts and themed screenings.
In its first year of operation:
- 4,118 children, young people and their families attended 260 screenings.
- 156 patients attended a screening in their hospital beds.
- 44 personal screenings were held for vulnerable patients or those receiving end of life care, providing families the chance to build lasting memories and moments of connection.
- 11 tailored screenings designed for specific inpatient and outpatient clinical and support groups, providing an opportunity to bring individuals together with a similar diagnosis or experience. These screenings have included mental health support groups for children and young people, a bereavement support group for families affected by the death of a child and an Orthoptics group.
“The MediCinema has become a cherished part of our Alder Hey community. It offers families an opportunity to step away from the clinical environment and share precious moments together. We are immensely proud of what has been achieved in its first year, and deeply thankful to our supporters, partners and volunteers who ensure this special experience is possible.”
Fiona Ashcroft, CEO of Alder Hey Children’s Charity