Bradford City FC Community Foundation and Bradford Hospitals Charity launch new campaign to support ‘Home from Home’ appeal

Bradford City FC Community Foundation, the official charity of Bradford City AFC, and the Bradford Hospitals Charity, the official charity partner of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, are supporting Bradford’s tiniest patients and their families.

The ‘Who’s Billy Bantam?’ campaign film features the Bantams mascot visiting local landmarks, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), located within the Women’s and Newborn Unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI). 

Christopher Henson, Head of Communications at Bradford City FC Community Foundation, said: “We at the Foundation are proud to be introducing this campaign, and to be supporting the Bradford Hospitals Charity and the crucial work they do. The ‘Who’s Billy Bantam?’ campaign is our chance to reflect on and celebrate who we are in our community, the smiles we put on faces, and the awareness we can raise for incredibly worthy causes. The campaign film will allow us to connect people with Billy, Baggins, the NICU and the industry-leading work carried out in this city in a unique and creative way, and I’d like to thank everyone who supported its generation.”

The campaign aims to draw attention to Bradford Hospitals Charity and The Sick Children’s Trust appeal, and raise funds for, a new ‘Home from Home’ for families – a warm, welcoming place for them to stay free of charge, right beside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the BRI.

Billy Bantam is joined in the campaign film by Baggins the Bear, the Bradford Hospitals Charity’s mascot. 

Together, Billy and Baggins visit iconic locations in Bradford and the wider district, including Ilkley Moor, Bradford Arts Centre, Darley Street Market, a Morrison’s store and the University of Bradford stadium, whilst also paying a visit to and meeting staff at the NICU.

The Bradford Hospitals Charity works to fund and upgrade life-changing medical equipment, support patients and their families, create a comfortable environment, and invest in the development and wellbeing of NHS staff.

Laura Riach, Director of Bradford Hospitals Charity, said: “Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary cares for some of the most vulnerable babies – born as early as 22 weeks or critically unwell.

“For any parent, having a baby in intensive care for weeks or even months can be incredibly challenging. It often means going home without their baby or spending long nights in uncomfortable chairs at their cot side. This new unit will allow families to stay just steps away from their baby, in comfortable accommodation, at no cost. The emotional and financial relief this will bring to families is immeasurable.

“The Bradford City FC Community Foundation has been a valued supporter since the very beginning of this project, and we’re thrilled to be working together on this campaign. It definitely brought some joy to the unit when Billy and Baggins came to visit.”

Set against an original spoken word piece, the campaign also features an original piece of music composed via a youth music project at All Star, a local creative engagement organisation which empowers young people and adults to get creative and access life-enhancing experiences. 

The soundtrack was executive produced by Munashe David Parimwa, Sean Coy and Isaac Eden.

Ross Elliott, Creative Industries Manager at All Star, said: “We’re huge fans of Bradford City, and the incredible work their Foundation does across the district. It’s been an honour to create the soundtrack for this fantastic campaign film, while also helping the young people we work with develop skills in composing for media and getting their music heard.”

The ‘Who’s Billy Bantam?’ campaign film can be viewed here.

You can support the ‘Home from Home’ appeal here.

More on the ‘Home from Home’ appeal

Bradford Hospitals Charity and The Sick Children’s Trust are raising £3 million to create a vital ‘Home from Home’ – a warm, welcoming place for families to stay free of charge, right beside the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

But we can’t do it alone. You can make sure families with a baby born early or unwell in hospital can be together when it matters most.  You can choose to host a Big Chocolate Tea, take on our £1,000 fundraising challenge,  organise a big curry night in/out or donate to our appeal.

Every pound raised will go towards us supporting the 500 families a year who have a premature or sick baby admitted to Bradford Royal Infirmary. It means they’ll have somewhere to rest, cook a meal and have a hot shower, so they can face the day ahead and best support their baby’s recovery.

More on Baggins the Bear:

Baggins the Bear and his hospital journey is introduced to children when they receive their hospital appointment through the post. The children receive the following:

• A personalised letter through the post from Baggins the Bear explaining when and where their operation will take place, and what will happen on the day.

• A link to the Baggins the Bear website, where the child can watch an animated film of Baggins going in for his operation, explaining in age-appropriate language what will happen when the child has their operation.

• When the child arrives in hospital on the day of surgery, they receive a bag which contains: a Baggins the Bear soft toy and a booklet with the story of Baggins the Bear having an operation, with fun activities to distract them in hospital.

• A life-size ‘Big Baggins the Bear’ greets children as they arrive at the operating theatre with their parent/guardian, so they can have their photo taken before surgery.

• A Baggins the Bear poster is displayed in the pre-operating room to distract children as they are given anaesthesia.

  
  

After the operation, they receive a Baggins the Bear bravery certificate, and they can take their bear and activities home.