Cate and I asked patients, staff, parents, volunteers, to
suggest how the old and ailing hospital might make its restorative move across
town to Little France as it’s destined to do in 2017. We’re developing the
‘things’ of the hospital into a cast of characters (see here) and some of them will
certainly be involved.
Needless to say we’ve been delighted with the creative ideas
offered. Several people saw the opportunity of so many bits of hospital equipment
being on wheels. So we had this suggestion from 13 year old Mami:
And 12 year old Hannah’s combination of a ‘ginormous
skateboard’ with the pushing power of all the children from Sciennes Primary School!
Megan and a group of parents and volunteers
at one of our workshops imagined a great cavalcade across the south of Edinburgh
of all the wheelchairs, wheeled things of the hospital, and even the idea that
the hospital might be dismantled and carried brick by brick to be rebuilt into
a lovely new establishment at the other end.
Evie envisaged this enormous NHS ‘Hospital
Mover’:
While 12 year old Emma had PJ Bear
driving a limo with all the other characters on board. Unfortunately it seems PJ’s
sense of direction isn’t too good…
And Ava, daughter of a Friends Foundation staff member transported the hospital on a huge bed!
The important role played by
seagulls and pigeons in Mami’s suggestion was backed up by another idea from
Danellia involving butterflies ...
...and even the penguins arriving across town
from Edinburgh Zoo to help from eight year old Charlieanne!
Other assistance came from hospital
equipment – 14 year old Anna suggested that the bandages would volunteer to
help:
“We’ll wrap the Hospital up tight
so she doesn’t feel the bumps on the flight to Little France”.
Sam decided a catapult would send
the building flying for three miles:
And one of the Play Service staff
suggested that a child suffering from asthma might get well enough, after
practice, to blow the hospital all the way to Little France!
Some of the ideas took quite a
magical turn. Rowan, a patient, saw these creatures lending a wing:
Ten year old Noah invented a time machine which could transport
the Hospital across space in only two seconds ...
...while his mum saw a role for the strange duct
that worms through the building and might also provide an opportunity for
travel!
Another parent foresaw a torrential
downpour creating a huge wave that the hospital would surf across town on with
all the characters on board, transforming at the far end and making Stephanie
the Stethoscope remark:
“Look at the Hospital – it’s so
shiny, so new.’
A nurse made the lovely suggestion
of a flock of angels lifting and flying with the hospital while Summer, a patient, had this idea:
But of course as a member of
Friends Foundation staff pointed out, with the great moment of the hospital’s
move and all the commotion going on, the volcano at Arthur’s Seat is bound to
awake. Perhaps its sleeping lion shape will take us by surprise with a
roar, or volcanic lava will help move the hospital?
