When a child is in hospital, the last thing on anyone’s mind is fun. Yet sometimes, it is exactly what is needed most.
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Vinci Building, who raised an incredible amount for us through our 2025 Shimmer Ball, we were thrilled to fund two RockinR Gaming Carts and two iPads for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Since their arrival in March 2026, the difference they have made has been nothing short of remarkable.
What is a RockinR Medical Gaming Cart?
The RockinR charity was founded in memory of Reece, a teenage boy and passionate gamer who passed away from brain cancer. During his hospital stays, gaming brought him joy and comfort — and so his dad and sister set up TheRockinR so other children could experience that same gift.
Making a Difference at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
The trolleys and iPads are now used every day at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, directly benefiting around 360 children each year. The response from patients, families and staff has been wonderful.
Health Play Specialist Melissa Heywood has seen first-hand how the trolleys are changing children’s experiences on the ward. She says they have improved patients’ mental health, wellbeing and sense of achievement — and the children themselves agree. Young patients have described their sessions on the consoles as “the best day ever” and have told staff they “forgot they were even in hospital.” Those words are everything.
The benefits go far beyond simple entertainment. Research shows that gaming can provide genuine psychological and social support to children with medical conditions, helping them manage anxiety, engage more willingly with treatment, and feel a sense of agency and control in an environment that can often feel overwhelming. We are seeing that research come to life every day at this hospital.
For children like Kian, aged 10, who faces blood infusion sessions of up to six hours, the carts have turned an experience he used to dread into something he can manage. “I love the Xbox, it really helps the pain because it’s a great distraction,” he says. For Kimberley, also 10, the gaming trolley turns what would otherwise be a frightening blood transfusion into something she actually looks forward to. Her mum calls the equipment “amazing”, and Kimberley simply says she loves it.
Perhaps most powerfully, the carts are helping children like Ben, 13, who arrived at the hospital in extreme distress, to regulate their emotions and engage with their own care. After spending time with the gaming trolley, Ben was calm enough to talk with staff about how to make his blood test less frightening — a real, clinical outcome born from the simple act of play. His play specialist called it “a perfect example of how the RockinR can completely transform a patient’s hospital experience.”
Seeing It For Themselves
In April, Richard Slater, Contract Manager from Vinci Building, joined our CEO for a visit to the Children’s Hospital to see the equipment in action. Witnessing first-hand the impact of the gaming carts on the young patients — and the warmth and energy it brings to the ward — was a powerful reminder of what donations like this can truly achieve. We are so grateful to Richard and the wider Vinci team for taking the time to come and see their investment making a difference in such a direct and meaningful way.
Thank You, Vinci Building
None of this would have been possible without the support of Vinci and everyone who attended the 2025 Shimmer Ball. Your generosity has put smiles on the faces of hundreds of children.
