New Competition Launches for South Yorkshire Children to Design Sheffield Hospitals Charity Mascot

26th September 2022

New Competition Launches for South Yorkshire Children to Design Sheffield Hospitals Charity Mascot

From 26th September to 4th November, children are invited to design a mascot for Sheffield Hospitals Charity, with the lucky winner receiving a special invitation to Twinkl HQ where they will receive a 1:1 session with one of Twinkl’s illustrators, bringing the winning idea to life. 

The challenge, which is open to participants aged 7-11, has been created to help the charity find a Mascot to feature in their content and events. The challenge involves designing a character which best represents Sheffield Hospitals Charity and the work they do, with the winning design becoming the brand-new charity mascot.

Schools, teachers and parents are being encouraged to get their children and classes involved, with Twinkl having created free resources to help inspire classrooms across the region. 

In July, Hallam Primary School welcomed representatives from Sheffield Hospitals Charity and Twinkl. Class 4P were the first group of children to be introduced to the challenge by representatives from the charity and Twinkl. In the session, the children explored what Sheffield Hospital Charity does for their surrounding communities, along with discussing what a mascot is and why they are important. The class received an exclusive workshop from one of Twinkl’s Illustration Development Coordinators, Becky Owen, who demonstrated how she creates and designs characters, giving the children some top tips to help them with their creations. 

 “My mascot is a Koala! They’re my favourite animal, they’re so soft and cuddly, so it will be able to make others smile, plus he could give the best hugs.” - Isaac

The mascot will feature on the charity’s flyers, posters, and websites, for many years to come. The mascot is scheduled to go into physical production ready for a season of events from spring next year, with the new mascot’s first visit being the school and the child that created it and brought it to life. 

“If I won, the first person I would tell would be my family. They would be so proud.” - Anish

Sheffield Hospitals Charity exists to make our hospitals and communities a better place for patients, their families and staff. 
 
The charity supports The Northern General Hospital, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Jessop Wing Maternity Hospital, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital and Weston Park Cancer Centre.
 
The generosity of supporters, local businesses and communities enable the charity to provide lifesaving equipment and improved environments for patients and families within those hospitals.

“I’ve made a superhero, he’s a bit like Thor. He can control lightning and the weather and is here to protect everyone!” - Ishaan

Sam Earnshaw, Head of Corporate Partnership and Major Giving at Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said, “This new partnership is one of our most exciting yet. Having the involvement of primary school children across Sheffield and South Yorkshire to design the mascot brings with it a wonderful opportunity. The difficult bit will be choosing our design winner!”

“The partnership with Twinkl and the creation of a new mascot will give us a new identity that will be a part of the charity for years to come. The people of Sheffield and beyond will be touched by one or more of our hospitals at some point in their life. Our hospitals are at the very heart of care in the City and Region, and we need to look after them.”

“This bear is a nurse, she is super friendly and loves to play games with all the children visiting the hospitals. She would welcome everyone with a big cuddle to make sure they’re OK.” - Amelia

It is hoped that this new partnership will pave the way for future exciting collaborations, giving Twinkl further opportunity to support the charity and the families and children who interact with the hospitals.  

Tiffany Jackson, Twinkl’s Regional Engagement Coordinator, said, “Sheffield Hospitals Charity does outstanding work to support hospitals, staff, patients and families in South Yorkshire and beyond. Raising awareness of this important cause and encouraging children to engage with a local charity throughout this creative challenge is something that Twinkl is thrilled to be a part of.”

“It was an absolute pleasure to attend Hallam Primary School and to introduce the design challenge. The pupils really enjoyed getting to know the charity and were truly inspired by the demonstration provided by one of our illustrators. From talking ice cream cones, to superheroes and animals, the children's designs were impressive!  We really encourage schools, teachers and parents to get involved, and we can’t wait to see the mascot designs!”

“Thank you so much for organising this for our class. The children absolutely loved the session and were so engaged with the activities, they couldn't wait to finish off their designs when we got back to class.” - Hallam Primary School Teacher

Do you have a child or a class who would like to get involved in the design challenge? Follow this link to download the design sheet, upload your entries and get inspired! 

The competition will run between 26th Sept - 4th Nov 2022.