This Christmas, The Grand Appeal is bringing festive cheer to Bristol Children’s Hospital and the wider region, with Shine Bright – the charity’s festive fundraising campaign.
As the charity celebrates 30 years, 30 locations across Bristol and beyond are lighting up with twinkling lights and festive spectacles, adorning homes, gardens, driveways and even vehicles. Each display is raising funds to support sick children and babies, across the South West, in need of the hospital’s care this Christmas.
At Bristol Children’s Hospital a special Gromit Unleashed themed festive display, illuminates the side of the Upper Maudlin Street building. The display, designed by Aardman director, Gav Strange, features a festive wreath with Gromit Unleashed sculptures spinning on a bauble at its centre. A fitting tribute to 30 years of partnership between The Grand Appeal and Aardman, and this year’s hugely successful Gromit Unleashed 3 trail.
Former Bristol Children’s Hospital patient, Ciara Hillyer, who helped to launch The Grand Appeal’s first capital appeal 30 years ago, returned to the hospital to reveal the new display and unveil two brand-new Norbot sculptures, which have been specially designed for the season.
Twinkle, wrapped in a Christmas light design with present-themed boots, and Sugar and Spice, adorned with festive treats will now tour the Shine Bright displays, spreading Christmas cheer and rallying vital support for The Grand Appeal.
Nicola Masters, director, The Grand Appeal commented: “Shine Bright brings festive cheer to Bristol Children’s Hospital in partnership with Aardman. For 30 years, The Grand Appeal has helped make the extraordinary at the hospital possible, funding pioneering equipment, ground-breaking research, and innovative facilities.
“Wallace and Gromit have been central to our work, inspiring imagination and generosity for three decades. This Christmas, we invite everyone to enjoy the Shine Bright displays, discover Twinkle and Sugar and Spice, and help us continue supporting sick children and babies across the South West.”
Ciara Hillyer, now 33, was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis within a week of being born. At just 4 years old, she was asked to help launch The Grand Appeal’s capital appeal to raise the funds to help build Bristol Children’s Hospital as it stands today. At the time she was an inpatient at the former children’s hospital site on St Michael’s Hill.
As one of the first patients to use the new hospital, once it opened in 2001, Ciara continued to be an inpatient and outpatient until she was 18, when her care was transferred to the Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Ciara commented: “I fondly remember the voice of Wallace in the lift, the colourful floors and vibrant departments that are still in the children’s hospital today. Leaving there when I turned 18 was incredibly difficult, having built so many relationships there over the years.
“Living with a chronic condition is tough, I never have a day off from cystic fibrosis and I am exhausted from it. However, I am proud of myself for continuing to overcome so many challenges. In 2023, I completed a Master’s degree (from UWE) in Photography, something I thought I’d never be able to do. Having just turned 33, I am honoured to play a small part in the 30th anniversary of The Grand Appeal as I continue to witness the wonderful work of this remarkable charity. The difference it makes to children and their families, from Bristol and further afield, will forever be its legacy.”
This year’s Shine Bright campaign features 30 individual displays from showstoppers that have become Christmas traditions and festive switch-on events by Britain’s famous duo, Wallace and Gromit, to the Vee Dub Family Christmas Cruz. With displays all over Bristol and beyond, visitors won’t have to travel far from home to take delight in the displays and donate this festive season.
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This festive campaign is raising money for The Grand Appeal’s ground-breaking Patient Hotel. The purpose-designed facility for Bristol Children’s Hospital will be transformational for young patients and their families across the South West and South Wales. The innovative development will enable patients to stay with their families and receive ongoing therapy and rehabilitation once they no longer require around-the-clock in-patient care in the hospital.
This year, The Grand Appeal and Aardman celebrate a 30-year partnership of Wallace & Gromit spearheading the charity’s fundraising and captivating the imagination of hundreds of thousands of donors.
The partnership was first conceived in 1995 to help raise £11 million to build the Bristol Children’s Hospital on Upper Maudlin Street, Bristol. Since then, The Grand Appeal has generated £90 million for Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity and the Neonatal Intensive Care Ward at St Michael’s Hospital. From funding pioneering equipment, ground-breaking research and innovative facilities that keep the hospital at the forefront of children’s healthcare in the UK, to three family accommodation buildings, vibrant art programmes and play initiatives that nurture and comfort patients and families during their most difficult days. Thanks to the generosity of Aardman, Wallace and Gromit remain at the heart of The Grand Appeal, bringing their spirit of imagination and innovation to support the next generation of children’s healthcare in Bristol and the South West.
To find out more about Shine Bright and few an interactive map of the displays, visit https://www.grandappeal.org.uk/get-involved/fundraise/events/shine-bright-for-bristol-childrens-hospital/.
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