Birmingham Children’s Hospital is appealing for donations to help fund £3m plans for new entrance

The hospital charity set up the fundraising initiative, called It Starts Here, to refurbish its entrance into an “inviting, child-friendly, open and bright space”.

It described the current entrance as “crowded, boring and unwelcoming” and said feedback from parents found it was “stressful to navigate” with prams, wheelchairs and medical equipment.

Under plans for the hospital, the charity said the space would include natural light and provide an area for people to “eat, sit and relax” before, during or after appointments.

It added that there would be “entertainment or distraction” for youngsters, including a play area, as well as green spaces to “bring the outside in”, a welcome desk and clear signage for the hospital.

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity said it needs £3m to fund the transformation, but thanks to gifts and pledges it has already received, it needs the public’s help to raise the remaining £1.6m .

The organization said it was “expected” that construction work would begin on the new entrance in spring 2025, with work completed by the end of the year.

Daljit Athwal, chief nurse and midwife officer at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, said: “No child should feel intimidated when they walk through our front door.

“By transforming the entrance, we hope to inspire families and remove any anxiety, making repeat visits calmer and more relaxed, and align their experience of visiting the hospital with the excellent care they receive inside.”

Mark Brider, chief executive of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said the hospital’s “world-class care” should “start at the front door”.

He added: “Our hospital has world-renowned specialists who treat over 100,000 sick children from across the UK each year, yet our front entrance does not reflect this.

“Our £3m It Starts Here appeal will completely change the experience of children and families entering hospital for the first time, as well as improving appointments for those in the future.

“Now we need the public to help us create this magical new entrance, so that patient fear and anxiety can give way to excitement, and the journey to recovery can be more of an adventure.”

To donate to the It Starts Here appeal, people should visit bch.org.uk/listing/category/it-starts-here