Play and donate at a GOSH Charity Play Date this summer

This July, GOSH Charity will challenge children, family and friends of all ages to come together in the name of fun to raise money to support seriously ill children treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

GOSH Charity Play Date is a new fundraising initiative in which participants will host a Play Date at home, in a garden, at school, at nursery or a local club on a day of their choosing during the month of July. Guests will be asked to make a small donation to their hosts before joining in with the fun.

Everyone who signs up to host a Play Date will receive a fundraising pack complete with stickers and print-at-home bunting, posters and invitations. Also in the pack will be a DIY collection box and a QR code to direct guests to the host’s bespoke fundraising page. And for those looking for inspiration, game ideas will also be available on the GOSH Charity Play Date website.

Each donation will support GOSH’s dedicated Play team – funded by GOSH Charity – made up of Play specialists and Play workers who help children make sense of their treatment and recovery through techniques such as role play, drawing and practising procedures on toys. Play is a vital part of a patient’s care at GOSH, and helps the child feel in control, calm and informed every step of the way. It also allows children to be children during what can be a difficult and worrying time.

GOSH Charity is a great advocate of play, and in 2021 it teamed up with GOSH to release its State of Play report* and later the Power of Play hub**, which both shone a light on the importance of play in children’s development. Now it hopes to spread the word – and the fun – even further with GOSH Charity Play Date.

GOSH Charity’s Director of Fundraising, Liz Tait, said: “We at GOSH Charity are delighted to be launching our latest fundraising initiative, GOSH Charity Play Date. As the funders of GOSH’s dedicated Play team, we know the importance of play in building children’s emotional resilience to help them cope with everyday challenges.

“Children are at the heart of everything we do, and we hope through GOSH Charity Play Date young fundraisers across the UK will feel empowered to be part of the action and host a Play Date to raise money for seriously ill children treated at GOSH.”

Sign up to host a Play Date at: gosh.org/playdate

* GOSH Charity teamed up with market research company Savanta ComRes to poll parents of children across the UK to gauge the impact of the pandemic on children and the importance of play in supporting them. Read the State of Play report here. Savanta ComRes interviewed 2,543 parents of children aged 5-11 online between 10th and 29th December 2020. Data tables can be found at www.comresglobal.com.

** Via the Power of Play Hub, GOSH Charity and the GOSH Play team bring expert tips and resources to parents across the UK, with the help of some much-loved children’s characters. These can help all children through life’s challenges, big or small, from making friends to coping with loss.

For media enquiries please contact:

Ellen Leach-Hutchings, GOSH Charity press office

020 3841 3147 / ellen.leach-hutchings@gosh.org

Ruby Bosanquet, GOSH Charity press office
02038413317 / ruby.bosanquet@gosh.org

Notes to editors

About Great Ormond Street Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity:

Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals with the broadest range of dedicated, children’s healthcare specialists under one roof in the UK. The hospital’s pioneering research and treatment gives hope to children from across the UK with the rarest, most complex and often life-threatening conditions. Our patients and families are central to everything we do – from the moment they come through the door and for as long as they need us.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity needs to raise money to support the hospital to give seriously ill children, the best chance for life. The charity funds research into pioneering new treatments for children, provides the most up to date medical equipment, funds support services for children and their families and supports the essential rebuilding and refurbishment of the hospital. You can help us to provide world class care for our patients and families. For more information visit www.gosh.org