For many children, a hospital stay can be a frightening and overwhelming experience. While medical teams work tirelessly to provide essential treatment, there are moments when young patients may find themselves without a familiar face beside them. Ward Buddies was created to change that – ensuring that no child feels forgotten or alone during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Ward Buddies is a UK children’s charity dedicated to providing emotional care and companionship for children in hospital. Its mission is simple but powerful: no child should feel abandoned, and no parent should have to choose between being at their child’s bedside and caring for the needs of their family at home.
The charity was founded by Jamie McDonald, also known as Adventureman, following his own experiences as a child spending significant periods of time in hospital. Those memories helped inspire a movement focused not only on children’s physical health, but also on their emotional wellbeing.
Through trained volunteers and specialist support, Ward Buddies provides a reassuring presence for children when parents or carers cannot always be there. A Ward Buddy can offer conversation, encouragement, play, and a sense of connection – small moments that can make a huge difference to a child facing uncertainty.
The charity began its work at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, developing a model of emotional bedside support with the ambition of creating a sustainable approach that could eventually be shared with hospitals across the UK and beyond.
For families, the impact can be life-changing. Parents of seriously ill children often face impossible pressures: staying beside their child while also managing work, other children, household responsibilities, and the emotional strain of a hospital journey. Ward Buddies helps bridge that gap by providing comfort and reassurance when families need it most.
At the heart of Ward Buddies is the belief that every child deserves kindness, understanding and someone in their corner. By bringing friendship and emotional support into hospital wards, the charity is helping to create a future where no young patient has to face a lonely moment without care.
Make a Difference Through Corporate Volunteering
Companies have the opportunity to support children and families directly through a regular volunteering partnership with Ward Buddies at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
This opportunity is designed for organisations that can provide a small team of volunteers rather than individual applicants. Volunteers would commit a few hours each week, with the schedule and level of involvement discussed to suit the organisation and the needs of the hospital.
Ward Buddies volunteers spend time engaging with children who may be in hospital for extended periods, offering friendship, conversation, encouragement and a welcome distraction from their medical journey. These simple moments of connection can have a lasting impact on children and their families.
Organisations interested in becoming involved and supporting this meaningful initiative are invited to contact Kelsey for further information and to discuss how their team can get involved. Get in touch here: kelsey.dwyer@birminghamcolmore.co.uk
