The NHS provides care that is world-class. We provide environments to match. From bright and eye-catching designs on walls, to seats that are just the right height for little ones, we create child-friendly, age-appropriate spaces that help children and teenagers feel at ease as much as possible
From major projects – like funding the building of Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital – to smaller ones and everything in between, The Archie Foundation creates child-friendly and age appropriate spaces to make the difference for children receiving hospital treatment.
The iconic giraffes, elephants and now even a lion are the focal point as you approach RACH, making the children’s hospital instantly recognisable. The animals are loved by children, families and staff.
If you’d like to know more about our current projects, you can email us hello@archie.org. You can read more about what we do in our news and updates section. If you would like to support our work please visit our donate page.
Archie Family Centre
Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital covers a large geographical area, and many families live hours from the hospital – as far afield as Orkney and Shetland.
The Archie Family Centre, has 19 rooms available to parents of children receiving treatment at RACH. The centre’s aim is simple – to keep families together while children are in hospital. This has been found to be hugely beneficial and has an immediate and profoundly positive impact for both children and parents.
Accommodation at The Archie Foundation Family Centre is provided free of charge to parents and entirely funded by voluntary donations to The Archie Foundation. One night’s accommodation for a parent costs Archie £20.00. Just think of the difference your donation could make to a parent at arguably the toughest time of their life.
As well as the rooms, which are all ensuite and include pull-out, buddy-beds so siblings can stay too, the centre has a kitchen and lounge where parents can make and eat their own meals and rest when they can.
Craig & Tiffeny are at the heart of the service, not only ensuring the smooth running and administration of the centre, but also providing much-needed and appreciated support to families at a difficult and stressful time.
In 2019 The Archie Foundation installed a brand new all-inclusive playpark! This area is perfect for children and is well-used by young patients before or after their hospital appointments and also by the Archie Play Leader, who makes regular visits to the park with young patients in her care.
The park equipment includes a wheelchair swing, ground level trampoline, roundabout, lots of sensory equipment and seating so parents and carers can keep a watchful eye while providing children with a perfect opportunity to let off steam. Being situated directly in front of the helipad means there is occasionally some added (noisy!) excitement and entertainment too!
This park was made possible thanks to generous support from The Morrison’s Foundation and Brewdog Foundation and has made a significant difference to children and young people visiting RACH.
The iconic Link Bridge between ARI & RACH is a place you can always feel happiness! This colourful walkway has 12 screens displaying some beautiful artwork by the young patients in RACH and hours of Disney music plays through the stereo system as you walk the length of the corridor. It truly is a magical area and some of the children join the Archie Play Leader for a dance and a twirl when checking out and finding their artwork on the screens.
The Press & Journal Parents Media Lounge on the 2nd Floor of RACH was opened in 2017. This lounge is located to next to the Medical & Surgical Wards, meaning Parents have an area to where they can enjoy a little respite, a coffee off the ward and gather their strength. With computers, a tv and radio system, hot drinks and snack vending machines this is a perfect area to catch your breath, catch up on emails or messages from family and friends and to gather your thoughts while contemplating one of the best views of Aberdeen from the full length windows. It is also currently a prime viewpoint to observe the rapid progress being made on the new Baird Family Hospital, which Archie is proud to be supporting with a fundraising campaign to deliver the difference here as we have at so many other NHS Grampian facilities
Watch this area very closely as we aim to update you on the Activity Area between Medical & Surgical Wards Soon!
