MediCinema at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust opened its doors in Liverpool on Sunday with an exclusive screening of Moana 2.
British charity MediCinema has provided an invaluable service to NHS hospital patients for the past 25 years. We reported in November 2023 that a new cinema was being built inside Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, and since then, it’s screened its first movie.
The new MediCinema at Alder Hey opened its doors to patients and their families on Sunday 25th November. The cinema is the only one of its kind in a standalone paediatric hospital in the UK, and it’s also the first cinema in a hospital in the North West of England.
The cinema got its start with an exclusive screening of Disney’s Moana 2 with a pre-recorded greeting from the film’s cast to the audience. Moana herself also made an appearance at the screening, greeting attendees as they arrived.
The screening room can host up to 34 patients, who can watch the film from their beds or wheelchairs, allowing them to experience the cinema with their families or nursing teams.
“It was boss,” said nine-year-old Nancy, who watched Moana 2 from her bed.
MediCinema operates with no extra cost to the NHS and hosts a minimum of four screenings each week. These are open to any patient cleared by medical staff to attend, though special, private screenings can also be arranged for those with more complex needs.
“Our new MediCinema is amazing,” said Nathan Askew, the Chief Nursing Officer at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. “It will bring joy through the power of the movies to our children, young people and their families, some of whom can be at Alder Hey for long periods. Being able to escape their room and have a day out to the cinema with friends and family, whilst still receiving vital clinical care, will mean so much to our children and young people. It will give everyone the chance to enjoy the magic of the latest movies and help reduce the difficulties and challenges that come from being in hospital.”
You can find out more information about MediCinema on its website, including ways to support the charity.
