2024 funds purchases gaming and consoles to entertain teenagers in hospital
At Play2Give, we are always immensely grateful and incredibly thankful for the amazing support we receive all year round for our fundraising efforts and work in the community, which enables us to go on and benefit so many in our mission of changing, transforming, and saving lives across Oxfordshire.
And, 2024 was another immense and superb year that, thanks to the public support of our community, we were able to provide over £23,000 in total from the funds we raised from a wide range of events and activities last year, including tombolas and raffles.
It gives us great joy to announce that we’ve provided a technology and gaming boost to entertain teenage patients at the Oxford Children’s Hospital with the provision of gaming and some sensory items for the teenage ward (Melanie’s Ward).
In April – when we visited with the bunny armed with hundreds of Easter eggs for young patients – we also made a visit to Melanie’s Ward. Mel’s, the specialist adolescent unit, is a ward we have close affiliation to as our sponsored patient room is situated on the ward opposite the nurses station. ‘The Play2Give Room’ was formally unveiled in 2017 after we raised over £40k across a decade to reach the special goal to name the room.
We continue to keep our patient room equipped and maintained so we was delighted that we was able to provide a PS5, games and accessories – a much requested item by the teens – as teens who receive care in our room often spend weeks and sometimes even months on end. We also provided a bubble fish lamp for the soothing sounds and relaxation which sits on the cabinet beside the bedside and has already been bringing some sensory and tranquility of joy to those patients who spend time in there.
Our provisions in this way, over £850, also included a huge bundle of Nintendo Switch games for all patients across the ward – and again all made possible thanks to the amazing generosity, donations and support our charity received in 2024, to make such donations possible.
Some of the team, including Andy, who accompanied our bunny on the Easter rounds are pictured in the Mel’s day room handing over the items, which is also an area on the ward that funds raised in 2023, over £5.3k, are being used to transform the day room into a brighter, more welcoming and colourful space. With artwork including a specially-commissioned wall mural, which will transform a plain, dull and drab clinical looking area into a more cool, homely, warm, welcoming and inviting space. Again, this is another example of a great use of Play2Give’s funds is spent helping to change and transform the lives of young hospital patients. The art project has been approved and we cannot wait to see the progress and the finished result of the Mel’s Ward Day Room once the project is complete.
Thanks to each and every person, group, business and all of our volunteers who make such donations and projects like these possible.
We are so incredibly thankful to everyone for getting behind our mission day in, day out.
