Law firm grant to fund new children’s sensory projector at hospital

A state-of-the-art interactive projector system that will help hundreds of patients and their families has been delivered to the children’s ward at the Royal Preston Hospital following a donation from independent law firm Brabners.

Up to 30 children stay at the children’s ward at the Royal Preston Hospital each night and the projector will be used by young patients at the hospital as well as visiting parents and carers.

The motion-sensitive OmiVista projector responds to users’ gestures and movement, including those from wheelchair users, to create images on floors, as well as tables and wheelchair trays. The system includes games such as air hockey and dinosaur fossil digs.

It aims to help to reduce stress and anxiety and improve patient’s wellbeing by encouraging language, physical and mental development while keeping children entertained. 

The £8,800 projector’s purchase was made possible through a £2,000 grant to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity’s Children’s Fund from The Brabners Foundation, an independent grant-making charity established by independent law firm Brabners.

Brabners is a purpose-led independent law firm which provides legal services to large and mid-sized businesses, SMEs, public sector bodies, charities, business owners, entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals.

It has offices in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, in addition to its Lancashire office at Sceptre Court Business Park in Central Lancashire.

Rebecca Arestidou, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity’s Children’s Fund’s trust, grant, fundraising impact and project officer, said: “Playing games not only keeps young patients entertained, it also helps to stimulate them and take their minds off being in hospital. This reduces their stress levels, which in turn can help recovery.

“The projector is very easy to set up and use. It has a choice of more than 300 games, meaning it can be enjoyed by toddlers through to older children. It can be taken into a side room if a child has to stay in isolation and its games can also be used to encourage children to get out of bed and move around. “We are very grateful to The Brabners Foundation for its support as this type of equipment falls outside of the remit for NHS funding.”

Kathryn McManus, fundraising co-ordinator for Brabners, said: “It’s Brabners’ mission to make the difference to our clients and our people but also the communities we serve. Since the Brabners Foundation was established in 2019, the firm has so far donated more than £166,000 to 67 different UK charities.

“Many of the staff at our Lancashire office live in the area and have personal connections with Royal Preston Hospital so it’s brilliant that this grant has contributed to supporting children staying at the hospital, as well as their families.” 

The Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity’s Children’s Fund supports improvements to children’s facilities for inpatients and outpatients at the Royal Preston Hospital and also at other children’s facilities managed by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

It funds upgrades to medical devices that go beyond usual NHS resources and distraction tools such as ceiling panels and play equipment.