Bristol Royal Hospital for Children celebrates 25th birthday
Last updated: 22/04/2026
Today, 22 April 2026 marks the 25th birthday of the landmark children’s hospital in Bristol.
The Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (BRHC) has been treating children and young people in Bristol, the South West and beyond for 25 years.
Officially opened in 2001 by the then Prince of Wales, it was the first purpose-built hospital designed exclusively for children in the UK. This year also marks the 160th anniversary of having a children’s hospital in Bristol.
Since opening, BRHC has become a centre for excellence for paediatric care, is home to the only dedicated Children’s Emergency Department in the South West and is the Children’s Major Trauma Centre for the South West.
£12 million of the initial £30 million build cost was raised by The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, through its first-ever capital appeal, spearheaded by Wallace & Gromit, thanks to the support of Aardman.
Celebrations for the landmark year kicked off today with Wallace & Gromit visiting the hospital, and a special delivery of hundreds of 25th birthday cupcakes for hospital staff.
The celebratory moment marks the start of a series of 25th anniversary events that will continue throughout the year.
In 2014, BHRC became a home to all Bristol-based children’s hospital services. Paediatric burns, neurology and plastic surgery and all accident and emergency services moved from Frenchay Hospital following a £31 million extension to the building, £5 million of which was raised by The Grand Appeal.
BRHC covers the largest geographical area of any children’s hospital in the UK, extending to Cheltenham in the north, Swindon in the east and Truro in the south. Over the past 10 years, the BRHC has provided services over 1.5million times, including operations, treatments, offering care and ‘check up’ appointments.
Last year alone, hospital teams saw over 164,000 patients and carried out 12,731 medical procedures.
Over the past 25 years, patients have benefitted from a number of notable cutting-edge treatments in healthcare in the South West and beyond. Highlights include:
- 2002: The Princess Royal opened the first dedicated paediatric MRI scanner in the South West, funded by The Grand Appeal.
- 2005: Developed a groundbreaking limb reconstruction service in 2005. Funded by The Grand Appeal, the service pioneered treatment for children with complex deformities and severe mobility issues.
- 2014: BRHC established the Faculty of Children’s Nurse Education, the first such faculty in a Children’s Hospital in the UK, funded by Above and Beyond (now Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity).
- 2015: Patients and families move into the first children’s only in-patient neurorehabilitation unit in the region, as part of the move for all Bristol children’s hospital services to be based at BRHC.
- 2015: The first children’s team in the country carry out robotic brain surgery. The groundbreaking technology used was funded by The Grand Appeal.
- 2018: A young patient became one of less than 10 patients in the world living with a rare gene mutation to be treated by a cutting edge robotic Deep Brain Stimulation surgery.
- 2021: BRHC became one of three centres in the UK commissioned to provide Zolgensma gene therapy for children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
- 2023: The new paediatric clinical research facility, ‘Coral Reef’ funded by Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity opens enabling local access to cutting-edge clinical trials and patients.
- 2024: Completed the first UK child awake craniotomy (brain surgery) for an Arteriovenous Malformation.
- 2025: Urologist Mark Woodward was invited to the Royal Garden party having completed his 300th laparoscopic kidney surgery having introduced the type of surgery to the hospital in 2005.
Medical teams from the hospital have also shared their specialist expertise to treat children and host visits from doctors impacted by foreign conflicts.
Martin Gargan, Clinical Chair of Women’s and Children’s Services at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon at the BRHC, said:
“As someone who operated on the day of opening 25 years ago, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the hospital, teams, treatment and care develop enormously in that time.
“As a hospital, we’ve been able to provide specialist first of their kind treatment techniques and groundbreaking equipment in the South West.
“We have cared for some truly incredible children and young people. I want to thank every family who has entrusted us with the care of their child and the hospital teams, volunteers, fundraisers, youth ambassadors and charity partners who have made the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children the incredible place it is.”
Maria Kane, Chief Executive of Bristol NHS Group, a partnership between UBHW and North Bristol NHS Trust, which oversees the BRHC, said:
“No-one wants their child to require hospital care, but we are incredibly fortunate as a city and a region to have a fantastic children’s hospital with such innovative, passionate and highly skilled colleagues who work tirelessly to provide excellent care for children and young people.
“On the 25th birthday of the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the health and wellbeing of the young people in the South West and beyond.”
The Grand Appeal continues to fund over 100 transformative projects every year, funds and operates three family accommodation houses, employs staff into specialist hospital roles and manages arts, music and play programmes.
Nicola Masters, director, The Grand Appeal, commented:
“It has been a privilege for The Grand Appeal to be part of Bristol Children’s Hospital journey over the past 25 years. From the very beginning, we set out to help create a hospital that could truly transform care for children. Thanks to the extraordinary creativity and commitment of Aardman, with Wallace and Gromit proudly spearheading our fundraising, that ambition became a reality.
“None of this would have been possible without our incredible fundraising community, whose generosity has helped the hospital pioneer new treatments, technologies and facilities year after year. As we celebrate just how far we have all come, we’re also incredibly excited about what lies ahead and the innovation still to come. All driven by one shared purpose, helping children and their families when they need it most.”
If you have memories to share from any point in the hospital’s 25-year history, please reach out to The Grand Appeal, who may feature your story in this year’s celebrations. Stories can be submitted via The Grand Appeal’s website www.grandappeal.org.uk