£40 million raised for The Grand Appeal

£40 million has been raised since the Wallace and Gromit Grand Appeal started 21 years ago. Today marks the 21st anniversary of the charity, which helps raise money for sick babies and children.

The Grand Appeal was founded in 1995 to raise funds to build a brand new children's hospital in Bristol. It would replace the old Victorian building on St Michael's Hill and be the first in the UK designed specifically around children.

Nick Park, Peter Lord and David Sproxton of Bristol-based Aardman donated the use of their much-loved characters Wallace & Gromit to spearhead the fundraising, and support flooded in from fundraisers, businesses, grant-making organisations and trusts all over the South West. By 2001, the charity had raised £12million and the hospital opened its doors.

Since then, The Grand Appeal has continued to fundraise tirelessly for the hospital, funding life-saving medical equipment and pioneering new facilities that keep it among the very best in the country. As well as this, it funds patient-friendly artwork, playrooms and therapies to keep children's comfort and wellbeing at the heart of the hospital.

Bristol Children's Hospital now treats more than 100,000 critically ill children and babies a year, from across the largest geographic area of any children's hospital in England.

This year also marks 150 years since the Bristol Children's Hospital first opened. It first opened on Royal Fort Road in 1866.

You can get more information about The Grand Appeal here