FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY WHO SPENT TWO CHRISTMASES AT GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL STARS IN MAGICAL ANIMATION TO LAUNCH CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISING APPEAL

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity) launches its 2021 Christmas Appeal with a heart-warming animation featuring a GOSH patient alongside a 100-year-old fundraiser.

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• 100-year-old GOSH Charity supporter Ivy stars alongside GOSH patient Henry from Bridlington, Yorkshire, helping him take the final steps of his magical journey home
• Animation features music by Norwegian pop star Sigrid, with her track ‘Home to You (This Christmas)’
• GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal is being supported by Hamleys, the finest toy shop in the world, with a special installation in their Regent Street store and the sale of a limited edition GOSH x Hamleys Bear
• To support GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal and help children at GOSH get one step closer to home, please visit: gosh.org/christmas

GOSH Charity has launched its 2021 Christmas Appeal with an animation called ‘One Step Closer to Home’ which follows four-year-old GOSH patient Henry on his journey from GOSH to his home in Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire. Along the way Henry, who receives specialist care at GOSH for a rare cardiac condition and has a tracheostomy and ventilation tube, is helped by magical stockings that represent donations from GOSH Charity supporters.

Sound tracked by Sigrid’s ‘Home to You (This Christmas)’, the animation sees Henry collect more pairs of stockings on his journey home as he crosses the country, passing landmarks such as London’s Big Ben and the Humber Bridge in East Riding of Yorkshire. 100-year-old GOSH Charity supporter Ivy, who has raised almost £3,000 for the charity, gives Henry his last pair of stockings to help him on the final stretch of his journey home to his family.

The animation supports GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal, which raises money to fund vital resources and support that GOSH needs to get seriously ill children like Henry one step closer to home. This includes state-of-the-art medical technology; pioneering research programmes into treatments and cures for rare conditions and patient and family support services. Money raised will also help bring Christmas to the hospital for children from across the UK whose treatment needs to continue over the festive season, as well as funding important services for GOSH staff working to care for patients and their families.

Henry was transferred to the hospital in December 2017 when he was just five weeks old, after being diagnosed with a rare congenital heart condition, where his left artery was wrapped around his windpipe. After discovering that Henry’s windpipe was only 1.8mm wide when it should have been 6-8mm, Henry underwent surgery just days before Christmas from GOSH’s specialist tracheal team to widen his windpipe and make it easier for him to breathe.

His first Christmas was spent in the hospital’s Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) recovering from his surgery, and a year later in 2018, Henry spent Christmas on a ventilation ward at the hospital, with his parents by his bedside. He was able to go home in January 2019 but is still cared for by GOSH and has a tracheostomy and ventilation tube, which has been depicted in the film.

Shevonne, Henry’s mum said: “We spent Henry’s first two Christmases at GOSH, which was incredibly hard. We arrived at GOSH two days before Christmas and I remember feeling so worried about what lay ahead for Henry, but the amazing staff comforted us and helped put us at ease. Despite everything else that was going on, they helped bring the festive spirit – even the small things like changing Henry’s bedsheets in his cot to be Christmassy ones made such a difference.

“Henry is still under GOSH’s care now and we are so grateful for their ongoing support. He is such a kind, happy and gentle child and we couldn’t value our time together as a family more. It's been amazing to see Henry animated for this film and follow his very special journey home. We're really hoping that Christmas 2021 will be the Christmas that Henry gets to spend with the people that love him and cherish him for the wonderful little boy he is.”

GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal is also supported by Hamleys, the finest toy shop in the world, through the installation of a giant stocking inside their flagship Regent Street store to reflect the stockings that help Henry on his journey home in the charity’s Christmas animation. There is also a Christmas tree in-store that has been kindly gifted by Pines & Needles, with a model of Henry on top, which has been created by renowned model and puppet maker, Andy Gent. The store is selling a limited edition Hamleys Bear costing £20, with £16 from each sale going towards helping seriously ill children from across the UK who are treated at GOSH.

Sumeet Yadav, Hamleys Chief Executive, said: “Hamleys is proud to be supporting GOSH Charity this Christmas, helping raise essential funds for such an important charity. At Hamleys, we believe in the magic of Christmas and Henry’s journey home is part of that magic. We look forward to showcasing our limited edition GOSH x Hamleys Bear and the beautiful installations in-store this festive season.”

Louise Parkes, GOSH Charity’s Chief Executive said: “Christmas is such a special time and it’s become even more significant as we reflect on the challenging two years we’ve all had. We’re extremely grateful to Henry’s family for sharing their story with us. The magical stockings that help him on his journey home are a moving illustration of the power of support from our incredible donors, who help get children one step closer to home. It also showcases the amazing staff at GOSH, who work around the clock to help children get home to their families, and go out of their way to make the hospital a home-from-home for those whose treatment needs to continue over the festive season.

“We’re so excited to launch this year’s Christmas Appeal, which will raise vital funds for seriously ill children from across the UK.”

The ‘One Step Closer to Home’ animated film has been made by creative agency adam&eveDDB, production company Strange Beast, and director Tjoff Koong. Labtech, owner of 20 acres of property across London, has also provided free advertising space in the heart of Camden Market throughout the festive season, alongside offering shoppers the chance to donate to GOSH Charity via QR codes.

GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal is also being supported by media agencies, All Response Media (ARM) and Hearts & Science to help promote the campaign. (Hearts and Science are generously sourcing free media space).

To find out more about GOSH Charity’s Christmas Appeal and how to support seriously ill children from across the UK, please visit gosh.org/christmas 

For media enquiries, please contact:

Kitty Langton, GOSH Charity press office

kitty.langton@gosh.org / 0203 841 3100

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    

About adam&eveDDB

A creative communications agency made up of people from the worlds of advertising, design, content, digital, media and social strategy. With the hunger and energy of a start-up, with the resource and reach of a network. Working with a range of clients including CALM, PlayStation, Samsung, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, John Lewis & Partners, EA Sports, Mars, Marmite, Lloyds Bank, Waitrose & Partner and Volkswagen.

About Strange Beast

http://www.strangebeast.tv

Established in 2007, Strange Beast is a creative studio, part of the Academy-Award winning Passion Pictures, led by executive producer Zoe Muslim. With a diverse roster comprised of both established and emerging talent, Strange Beast provides a unique approach and artistically led solution to briefs. Strange Beast is proud to have a gender balanced roster.

About Hamleys (http://www.hamleys.com/)

Hamleys rich history began with William Hamley, a Cornishman from Bodmin, England. Mr Hamley dreamed of opening the best toy shop in the world, which was realised when he opened his first shop at Holborn, London in 1760. Some 260 years later, Hamleys as the finest toy shop in the world, is synonymous with bringing magical experiences and joy to children. Hamleys’ unique retail experience includes opportunities for children to play, engaging store design, expertise in customer service and incredible toy demonstration. Extending significantly further than the famous London toy shop, Hamleys as a global brand, is currently trading across 15 countries with 187 stores in countries such as UK, India, Japan, UAE, China and Russia among others. In May 2019, Reliance Brands Limited [RBL] marked its first international foray by acquiring Hamleys global operations. RBL had been operating Hamleys’ India franchisee stores since 2010.