British menswear brand Cavani has contributed £50,000 over two years towards the UK's largest MediCinema, which officially opened today at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The state-of-the-art facility is the first MediCinema in the Midlands and was built through a £1 million fundraising appeal by the hospital charity’s Changemakers programme. Cavani joined Changemakers in 2023, a visionary group of business leaders, entrepreneurs and philanthropists committed to fund life-changing projects that help children’s healthcare.

Featuring 84 purpose-built movie-style seats, the cinema has been designed to accommodate wheelchair users, hospital beds and medical equipment, ensuring as many young patients as possible can enjoy the experience.

To mark the opening, children at the hospital watched an exclusive preview screening of Pixar’s new blockbuster movie, Hoppers, before its national release.

Cavani’s donation was part of a wider contribution from the Changemakers network, alongside a significant donation from Disney, a partner of the charity. The cinema is expected to host 260 screenings annually, reaching an estimated 5,000 patients and family members each year.

Sukhi Mondair, CEO of Cavani, said: “When we saw the MediCinema appeal, we knew immediately we wanted to be part of it. A hospital stay can be incredibly tough on children and their families. Siblings miss out on time together, parents are stretched between wards and work, and the everyday joys of childhood can feel like a distant memory.

“This cinema gives families a chance to be together in a way that feels normal by laughing at the same scenes and being children and parents rather than patients and carers. We're proud to support that.”

The new facility is a partnership with MediCinema, a charity that builds and operates cinema screenings in hospitals across the UK, showing the latest releases to patients who might otherwise miss out. According to the charity's research, 93% of attendees say the experience reduces stress and anxiety, while 94% report feeling less isolated during their hospital stay.

Ellie Maybury, Senior Corporate Partnership Officer, at Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “March marked the opening of our brand new charitably funded MediCinema, bringing colour, comfort and the magic of film to our brave patients. 

“Thanks to the support of companies like Cavani, this space has become a reality, giving patients and their families precious time together and a sense of normality during difficult times. We are incredibly grateful to Cavani for their support.”

For some families, the cinema offers a rare moment of togetherness. One young patient has spent the past year in hospital. For them, the MediCinema means finally being able to invite their siblings for a film, creating a memory that has nothing to do with treatment.