Member Article

Chance to star in hospital campaign

Last week people in the North East and Cumbria were given the opportunity to vote on the name of a new children’s hospital in Newcastle. Voters are now being urged to send in messages of support for the chance to be featured in a primetime TV programme to celebrate the announcement of the hospital’s official name this week.

Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, alongside the region’s Charlie Hardwick, launched the campaign on 23 June. Supported by North East celebrities, the three contenders up for public vote via www.hospitalvote.co.uk, text or by post are:

• The Greenhouse Children’s Hospital, backed by Sunderland-born TV Presenter Lauren Laverne.
• Northern Lights Children’s Hospital supported by Newcastle-born Donna Air.
• The Great North Children’s Hospital championed by Tees Valley’s Dame Tanni Grey Thompson.

The state of the art facility - due for completion in 2010 - will bring all the Trust’s leading children’s services under one roof in an environment dedicated to sick children and their families.

The vote is now a two horse race with ‘Northern Lights’ head to head with ‘Great North’, but there is still time to place your vote. Voting lines close at midnight on Wednesday 2 July, and members of the public are also urged to upload their messages explaining why they are backing their chosen name, with the best clips being featured on the voting website and a selection of them in a special programme on Tyne Tees on Friday 4 July when the winning name for the new hospital will be revealed.

To upload your video visit www.hospitalvote.co.uk/upload and follow instructions.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .