Smiles all round as Starlight Storytellers visit St Mary's Hospital
There were smiles all round when Starlight Storytellers visited the children’s department at St Mary’s Hospital this week.
Four performers brightened up the day for youngsters who were being treated in the hospital’s paediatric department with their humorous take on traditional fairy-tales.
The show, created by The Panto Company for the Starlight Children’s Foundation, involved the performers singing and dancing in colourful costumes along to a narrated collection of family favourites including Princess and the Pea, Charlotte’s Web and Three Little Pigs.
The visit to St Mary’s Hospital was the first on a tour of 50 hospitals and hospices across the country as part of a project funded by the Heinz ‘Get Well’ soup campaign which asked people to purchase personalised cans of ‘Get Well’ soup from its Facebook page and for every can purchased, £1 was donated to the Starlight Storytellers tour.
Starlight is a national charity that grants wishes for seriously and terminally ill children and provides entertainment in hospitals and hospices across the UK.
Tina Halton, a play specialist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust which manages St Mary’s Hospital, said:“The children loved the show and there was plenty of laughter! We use play to help distract young patients at St Mary’s Hospital from the pain and anxiety they might feel as a result of their illness and there’s nothing like a good story and an entertaining show to take children’s minds off being ill.”
Neil Swan, chief executive of Starlight Children’s Foundation, said: “For many children a trip to hospital can be scary and Starlight aims to provide services that will entertain and distract young patients during their stay. We’re very pleased that the Starlight Storytellers visit brought some wonderful stories to life for the children at St Mary’s Hospital.”
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