Seaside welcome for Norwich children's hospital

Children visiting the Jenny Lind Children’s Department at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital are benefiting from a bright and breezy £140,000 artistic makeover.

The waiting areas, clinic rooms, and treatment rooms in the Jenny Lind Out-patients, Jenny Lind Physiotherapy and the Children's Assessment Unit have all been turned into a sea of colourful artwork, thanks to generous donations from a number of charities and individuals, as well as the Friends of the Norwich Hospitals.

Fun beach scenes by the BAFTA award-winning artist Hannah Giffard rub shoulders with fishy characters inspired by the Norfolk Broads, while older children can amuse themselves by playing games on a set of hand-held Playstations in the Jenny Lind Out-patients waiting area. The costs of the refurbishment also includes new chairs, furniture, toys and signs for the children's department, as well as all the new artwork.

The £140,000 scheme began as part of the systematic refurbishment agreed under the PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contract. But in partnership with Octagon, the consortium that built the hospital, and Serco, the contractors who maintain the hospital, a Hospital Arts scheme was also launched to enhance the decorations and give the Jenny Lind Children's Department a unique identity.

Sister Jill Wakley says the decorations have transformed the Jenny Lind Children’s Department and given children something to focus on when they visit the hospital:

“It’s been a labour of love for all the artists, Trust staff and contractors working on the project – they have gone far beyond our expectations and done a fantastic job,” Jill commented. “I would also like to pay tribute to our Hospital Arts co-ordinator Emma Jarvis, who worked so hard to bring it all together, and the many contributors whose donations made it all possible.”

The Hospital Arts team thanks Lisa Little, Kate Green, Hannah Giffard, Eloise O’Hare, Luke Emery, Joe Mouncer, Paul Rodgers and Ann Lush for all their work on the project.

We are also grateful to all those who contributed funds: GGS Creative Graphics, the Haematology Fund, the Norwich Lions Club Charity Trust Fund, Mr and Mrs Chapman, The Norwich Children's Fund, Helaina Checketts, Serco, the Norwich Frame Workshop, Mercury & Phillips Signs, Acre Joinery, Rackham Engineering, Alrec, Checkland Kindleysides, the Friends of the Norwich Hospitals, the Geoffrey Watling Charity, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, Norwich North Alpha Lions, The Great Green Trading Company, Dereham Royal Naval Association, LSI Architects, the Norwich Rotary Club, Norwich Marchesi Benevolent Fund, the Lind Trust, City of Norwich Lions Club, OpenWide, Cromer Pavilion Theatre, the Nicola Waller Patient Care Fund, Sandra Rudd, Steven Woodcock of Allman Woodcock, Anne Newton, Liz Marriot, Jean Waller, Britannia Building Society, David Craske and Mundesley Golf Club.