Kinly, the global provider of AV integration and collaboration services and support, recently visited Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London, to present a £30,000 donation and learn more about the incredible work it does by providing lifesaving support to seriously ill children and support for their families.
Back in July, Kinly assembled a 26-strong team of employees and partners to tackle the Xtreme Microsoft Teams Room (MTR) Challenge in aid of GOSH. This involved scaling the summit of Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales, with equipment strapped to their back, to successfully set up and run a fully operational Microsoft Teams Room. The final amount raised totalled £30,005 and will be used to provide valuable support to fund GOSH’s new cancer ward for children.
On Wednesday, November 1st, Kinly representatives from across the business joined the GOSH team to donate the money personally and were treated to a tour of the premises. This was far from a whistlestop tour and involved an extensive two-hour journey across the hospital to discover the real thought, work and dedication behind everything that GOSH does for children and their families. Along the way, we learnt how the hospital is funded, how donations are used to help children and GOSH’s future plans to continue its brilliant work.
Although an NHS hospital, the GOSH charity works tirelessly to support patients and their families alike. From play areas and artwork through to actors playing children’s favourite characters and a specially designed hospital for the hearing and visually impaired, it does everything possible to make children feel comfortable in an otherwise daunting hospital environment. There is also a full-time school on-site, ensuring that no matter how long children are at the hospital for, they will always have access to education. For instances where children are too tired to attend classes, teachers will visit their bedsides. Named after the Patron Saint of weary travellers, St Christopher’s Chapel is a beautiful example of architecture where families can take comfort in times of need. There are also overnight rooms for families that are travelling from long-distance. All this works to ensure GOSH provides the best possible experience for children and family members at the most difficult times in their lives.
Outside the hospital sits a statue of Peter Pan in honour of its author, J.M. Barrie. After graduating from Edinburgh University, Barrie moved to London where his first lodgings were in Grenville Street, behind GOSH. He had a longstanding relationship with the hospital which resulted in him awarding the copyright and all royalties of the Peter Pan book and production to GOSH in a remarkable act of compassion and kindness.
Taj Ghere, UK Region Managing Director, Kinly, said:
“Everybody knows about the fantastic work that happens at Great Ormond Street Hospital but to see it for yourself firsthand is a humbling experience. The level of care the hospital and the charity provide to children with illnesses, as well as their families, is nothing short of world-class.
This is a cause close to everybody’s heart at Kinly and we were delighted to be able to play a small part in supporting their new cancer unit for children through funds raised at our Xtreme MTR Challenge. I’d like to say a big thank you to the GOSH team hosting us and providing insight into the amazing work they do for children, every day.”
All this could not have been possible without the support of our partner network. Special thanks go to Ingram, Logitech, Nuvias, Peerless AV, Pexip, RealWear, Shure, Sony and TD Synnex for sponsoring and getting involved with the Xtreme MTR Challenge. We look forward to working with you all again.
