By Strictly star opens new cinema room at St Andrew’s Hospice
Following months of hard work, the new cinema room at St Andrew’s Hospice has been opened by Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton.
With the capacity to host 10 people, the new room has been fitted with a huge screen, surround sound, bean bags, cinema seats and even a sparkling ceiling.
The former storage room as become a “dream come true” for the children and parents, with both Netflix and Disney plus available to stream their favourite films.
BBC star and St Andrew’s Hospice ambassador Joanne Clifton cut the ribbon and the first movie goers entered the cinema.
Ian Morrish of Together For Cinema explained: “We work quite closely with an organisation called Together For Short Lives, who not only collaborate with Andy’s Children’s Hospice, here in Grimsby, they also help to promote what we do. Together For Cinema is a ‘good cause enterprise’, soon to be a charity, that offers hospices and other similar charities around the country the opportunity for their own cinema room, of which there are currently 37 across the UK.
“We work with local tradespeople where possible and are donated products from a number of respected companies, such as Sony, Starscape, Reiko, HD Anywhere, and more – there are 18 regular contributors, in total.” After deciding to start the new room in Grimsby, Nottingham-based company Sonic Vision planned out how it would look.
They said: “We came over to Grimsby to look at the project and created a concept, having discussed the requirements with the hospice staff, who wanted it to be not only accessible, but also fun for the children at Andy’s. Then we basically gave Ian a shopping list!
“We are both parents, so it was wonderful to come and work on something for the children at Andy’s. Their faces said it all when they first arrived at their new cinema!”
Head of Children’s and Wellbeing Services at St Andrew’s Hospice, Elinor Whitaker, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who helped to make the dream come true for our young patients. So many of our families feel that they are unable to take their children to the cinema, as they are expected to keep quiet while a film is showing, for example, and lots of children at Andy’s would find that quite impossible.
“This is the reason the cinema was considered, and has now become a reality, and it’s absolutely fantastic.” The room was officially opened by Grimsby’s very own Joanne Clifton.”
Speaking about the new room, she said: “I am lost for words. I walked in and everything about the room is so special.
“I wasn’t really sure what to expect and got a bit overwhelmed when I saw how beautiful it is. I love the sparkly lights on the ceiling, and the lovely pictures on the wall, it’s truly magical.”
