Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity has announced that its biggest-ever sculpture trail, Pride of Yorkshire, will be supporting the transformation of the Emergency Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

At the campaign’s Preview Event, hosted at Sheffield Arena on Thursday 7 May, Chief Executive of Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Ruth Brown, took to the stage to announce plans for the charity to deliver its largest-ever appeal and share details of what a transformed Emergency Department for the hospital would look like.

Pride of Yorkshire, which launches in June and will set 150 life-sized lion sculptures on the loose across South Yorkshire, will see the charity commence work to raise £6.3 million over the next three years – with Pride of Yorkshire kickstarting this ambitious fundraising campaign.

This funding will contribute to a £20 million project to redevelop the existing Emergency Department – transforming it to be a calm, child-friendly space that reduces fear and anxiety, supports recover and enables the teams to deliver the very best emergency care. This redevelopment would include purpose-built clinical environments, improved patient flow, enhanced privacy and family experiences, and the creation of spaces for high-quality care for patients with additional needs.

Ruth Brown, Chief Executive of Sheffield Children’s, said: “Our Emergency Department opened in 1977 and was designed for 24,000 patients a year.

“Today, more than 62,000 children and young people come through its doors annually – around 168 every day. The department is now operating well beyond what it was originally designed for.

“With support from Pride of Yorkshire, we can transform our ED and Major Trauma Centre into a calm, child-friendly space that reduces fear and anxiety, supports recovery, and matches the outstanding care our teams provide every day.”

John Armstrong, Chief Executive of Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “For five decades, we have stood proudly alongside the Sheffield Children’s Trust, helping it to go further, and do more for the children and families who rely on it every day.

“Pride of Yorkshire is our most ambitious sculpture trail yet, and is the biggest ever held in the UK. It’s scale and potential mirrors our ambition to support every child to access to excellent healthcare and a healthy future. We have been overwhelmed by the support from artists, schools, businesses and the general public – and can’t wait to see the trail hit the streets and make its mark this summer.”

The Preview Event welcomed sponsors, stakeholders, and supporters and friends of the charity to Sheffield Arena, offering a sneak peek at the Pride before its launch in June. Dom Stokes, General Manager at the Arena, said: “It’s such an honour for all of us at Legends Global, the Utilita Arena Sheffield and Sheffield City Hall to be able to gather this magnificent Pride of lions and lionesses all in one place, and be able to launch and be a part of this amazing initiative.”

For more information about the transformation of the Emergency Department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital, please visit the Funding Page.

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Pride of Yorkshire roars to life across South Yorkshire from Monday 8 June – Sunday 6 September. Collect lions. See South Yorkshire. Support Sheffield Children’s!

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