Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity is offering patients with a passion for nature, engineering and science a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity to become volunteer ambassadors of the brand-new 27,000 litre live-reef aquarium being created inside the hospital’s new front entrance.
The Hope Aquarium, created by ViDERE Aquariums, is the largest of its kind in the world, and will be the ‘jewel in the crown’ in the hospital’s front entrance transformation, supported by the charity’s £3m It Starts Here Appeal.
Now in an exciting new role, the charity and ViDERE Aquariums need a team of chief marine officers, the Hope Aquarium Ambassadors, to help select the fish and marine life, as well as make the aquarium educational, fun and engaging for the 100,000 patients and families who use the hospital every year.
A total of six volunteer roles are available for patients aged between four and 16 years old, to work alongside a world-renowned aquarium expert. All appointees will also be able to attend the official grand unveiling of the aquarium when building work on the hospital’s new front entrance completes later this year.
The new Hope Aquarium will be a focal point of the transformation of the hospital’s main entrance. Last updated nearly three decades ago, the former entrance was cramped, dull and unwelcoming and didn’t reflect the world-class care that takes place beyond it.
The new entrance, which is currently under construction, will become the new heart of the hospital, offering a welcoming, child-friendly, open and bright community space which reduces the fear and anxiety of patients visiting and reflects the needs of everyone who uses it.
The Hope Aquarium is an impressive 4m tall and 3m wide, and when at capacity it will be filled with approximately 61 fish species and over 300 fish and will be the largest living reef aquarium in a hospital in the world.
Spending time in nature is crucial for a child’s development, but for many of the hospital’s long-term patients its city-centre location means they’re restricted in exploring the natural world. Bringing an aquarium to the hospital will have a calming effect on children, as well as reduce stress and provide distraction from what’s ahead. It will also provide the opportunity for social interaction with other children and families while waiting for appointments or taking breaks from the wards.
Mark Brider, CEO of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “We’re thrilled to be getting our young patients involved with our new Hope Aquarium. We know it’ll bring a sense of calm to the thousands of sick kids who visit our hospital each year, so it’s important to get it right. That’s why we’re bringing in expertise directly from our young patients themselves, as their thoughts, ideas and passion will make the aquarium truly magical.
“Our Hope Aquarium would not have been possible without the amazing support for our £3m It Starts Here Appeal. We have £400,000 left to raise, but our incredible vision for a front entrance which matches the world-class care being given is already underway with the foundations having been laid. With the help of our Hope Aquarium Ambassadors, our aquarium will be the focal point of our new entrance and help distract patients from the treatment they’re about to receive.”
Akil Gordon-Beckford, Founder and Director of ViDERE Aquariums, said: “At ViDERE, we believe aquariums are far more than beautiful features, they are living ecosystems which inspire curiosity, support wellbeing and create moments of calm, wonder and discovery.
“That’s why the Hope Aquarium Ambassadors will play such an important role. Their ideas and perspectives will help shape the look of the aquarium and they will gain valuable knowledge about the science behind living eco-systems. The Hope Aquarium Ambassadors will work with us to ensure the aquarium becomes more than a striking visual centrepiece; it will be an engaging educational experience, designed through the eyes of the children who will enjoy it most.
“We’re excited to work alongside Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity to create something truly special, a place of comfort, inspiration and awe for every family who walks through the doors.”
To find out more about the It Starts Here Appeal, or to donate, please visit bch.org.uk/it-starts-here