November 2025
WELCOME
to our Cambridge Children's Hospital newsletter
Three photos depicting children doing different things. The first is of a boy of about 11 with dark hair looking up to a girl with long brown hair, white t shirt and pale blue shorts. She has her arm around the boy's shoulders. The next photo is of a girl aged around 10 sitting on her bed playing on an ipad. Her hair is in pig tails high up on her head. She is wearign a denim dress and long sleeved pink top. She is surrounded by photos and posters of cartoon animals. The last photo is of a little boy wearing glasses and stripey dungaree shorts on a woodland path.
Hello from Malcolm McFrederick, Project Director
Working towards the reality of Cambridge Children’s Hospital is a marathon, not a sprint. This is why reaching significant milestones, like the appointment of our construction partner, Bouygues UK, is so exciting.

There are dozens of people involved in a huge team effort to achieve our unique vision of fully integrating mental and physical healthcare under one roof, alongside world-leading research. Every step of progress propels us forward with even greater determination to get the East of England’s first specialist children’s hospital built and open for patients and their families. 

We’re delighted that so many children, young people, parents, carers and NHS staff from our partner organisations and the wider region continue to be at the forefront of shaping the new hospital. The first cohort of our Frontrunners programme, which gives staff the chance to drive change in their current services, has just concluded with a celebration of their transformation projects. We look forward to welcoming our new recruits in January.

In this newsletter, read how we are working together with regional clinical partners; our appearance on a BBC Radio 4 series; and a focus on patients and staff for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. 

If you are thinking about Christmas shopping, may I encourage you to go to Presents Galore in Newmarket and help raise funds for Cambridge Children’s Hospital!

Thank you for your continued support.

Best wishes
Malcolm
A man with grey, slightly receding hair, wearing a pale grey suit, pale pink shirt and pale blue patterned tie. He is smiling. The back drop is a wall covered in dark green foliage
Watch our latest video about the Cambridge Children's Hospital vision of fully integrated mental and physical healthcare, with world-leading research, under one roof
Our top stories
Cambridge Children’s Hospital construction
partner appointed
A photo of a group of people, men and women, standing in front of the bright blue Cambridge Children's Hospital hoardings by the hospital site. The hospital logo is on the left with the words A Whole New Way underneath. Most people are wearing suits. Some are wearing bright colours
Members of Bouygues UK, our project team, partner organisations, and parent and youth advocates gathered at the hospital site following the construction company’s appointment
The appointment of our construction partner, Bouygues UK, marked a pivotal moment in the lifespan of the Cambridge Children’s Hospital project. We are now working with the team on finalising the designs and technical details. As we continue to develop the Full Business Case ready for submission to Government next summer, we are also working with Bouygues UK to establish a construction timeline. Read the full story
“Bouygues UK is a first-class contractor with proven expertise in building and delivering excellent healthcare infrastructure within a collaborative environment. Together we can now get straight down to work in finalising our design and plans and ensuring best value for money under an initial pre-construction services agreement.” 
Matt Allen, Director of new hospitals construction, Cambridge University Hospitals
The installation of a Collaboration Hub on site will provide valuable office space for our project team and construction colleagues from Bouygues UK to collaborate and work alongside each other, including for our upcoming design workshops with staff, young people, parents and carers. The three offices are named after children from across the region who have been part of our journey.
A selection of images show people working on a massive building site, with a crane getting ready to winch a portacabin into position. the photo on the right shows the portacabins put together as white modular blocks to form at office space called the Collaboration Hub. Papworth Hospital and Car Park 2 at addenbrooke's hospital is in the background
Lots of people ask how the hospital will rise from the ground. The team at Bouygues UK have put together this brilliant animation of the 3-year build.
Frontrunners transformation programme
celebrates success
A woman in a green short sleeved shirt and long brown hair presenting at a big screen to the side of her which has a map and some information bubbles on it.
A group of around 20 people smiling together. These are the first of the Cambridge Children's Hospital Frontrunners
A lecture theatre showing people sitting in the rows of seats, looking down at a colourful slide on a big screen with a woman presenting
Dozens of people turned out for a celebration event to mark the efforts of our first cohort of Frontrunners. This innovative transformation programme is designed to support staff at our partner organisations CUH and CPFT, and the wider region, to drive forward meaningful change in their current work environments while preparing for the transition to the new hospital. Read more about the programme.
Our Community
Working with regional partners
A group of men and women smiling at the camera. Some are in nurses uniforms.
The Cambridge Children's Hospital project team with staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn
Collaborating with regional colleagues and partners is vital for aligning services and achieving our vision of care closer to home. The CCH project team recently visited Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn. They shared the success of, and learning from, their paediatric virtual ward. This monitors patients remotely from home, minimises hospital visits and travel time, while increasing patient wellbeing and time with family and friends.  
In October, we held a Regional Clinical Advisory Board meeting with colleagues from across acute and community services in the East of England, which focused on regional workforce opportunities, interagency working and regional engagement.
Youth forums welcome new members
After a summer-long recruitment campaign, we were delighted to welcome some new members to our Youth and Young Adult Forums. The first meetings were held in early September, where they voted for chairs and vice chairs. Both the youth forums and our Parent Carer Voice are being orientated on the hospital floor plans, ahead of the next stage of the design process.
Conversations and connections with staff
A group of people, mostly in pale blue nurses uniforms, standing in the sunshine holding a colourful cambridge children's hospital poster. They are all smiling
Our poster deliveries to CUH and CPFT wards
are always well received
A group of around 8 people around a table with the hospital floor plans and images on it. Everyone is listening intently. A man with grey hair and glasses is pointing to something on the floor plans
Mental health co-lead Dickon Bevington hosts an information session for CPFT staff
Over the last year, we have worked hard to engage with our frontline NHS colleagues at CUH and CPFT, increasing our visibility, sharing information, and answering questions about their future workplace. As well as numerous face to face and online sessions, we have also delivered over 100 posters to ward areas since last December.
The Whole Child
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Two photos of a little boy - the first he is wearing a paper crown covered in sparkly jewels. He is wearing a white shirt and gold bow tie. He has in a nasal gastric tube. In the other photo, the same little boy with brown hair wearing a red t shirt and swirling a ribbon around his head. He is standing in long grass under a tree
Cambridge Children’s Hospital will be the specialist regional centre to care for children and young people with cancer. To mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we were grateful to Lisa from our Parent Carer Voice, for sharing her son George’s story and how he is her inspiration. Read George’s story.
“Through this opportunity, I am heard, my experience matters
and is valued, George is remembered, and we are helping to
make a change for children diagnosed in the future.”
Lisa Radcliffe, George's mum
Heather, a children’s cancer nurse at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, speaks about how
the new hospital will create a better experience for patients and staff.
Three Ages of Child: Cambridge Children’s Hospital features on Radio 4 series
A teenage girl with long brown hair being interviewed by two women with a microphone
Grab a cup of tea and sit back with this fascinating series about children, from the early years through to adolescence. Broadcaster and health campaigner Dr Guddi Singh interviewed our clinical experts Dr Isobel Heyman and Rob Bode, as well as Youth Forum members Luke and Macie, for Episode 3: Mental Health in Adolescence.
Listen here
Spotlight on play in healthcare
Play teams provide therapeutic support during procedures, fun, and normality for patients and their families. This is why the Cambridge Children’s Hospital vision of holistic care is underpinned by play. Hear from Vicki, a Health Play Specialist, who makes hospital life a little bit easier for children.
The Whole Life
Cambridge Children’s Hospital wins partnership award in oncology
Four people in smart outfits standing by a stone fountain. The woman in the middle is holding a glass award.
The team from Cambridge University Hospitals, University of Cambridge and Illumina at the award ceremony
The Cambridge Children’s Hospital Innovation Hub launched in September 2024 – and one year later won a prestigious award! The Hub, a collaboration between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), University of Cambridge and Illumina, aims to accelerate genomic diagnostics for children. Read more on this story.
“The Ultrafast Whole Genome Sequencing study has demonstrated the potential clinical benefits of the constellation technology by accelerating precision diagnosis, enabling targeted treatments for children with cancer, and in many cases minimising
over-medicalisation by avoiding treatment altogether.”
Dr Aditi Vedi, Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital
and Chief Investigator
Acquired brain injury team visit to parliament 
A woman with long brown hair and patterned dress standing next to a woman with short grey hair, glasses, and patterned dress, holding up a placard that says #RightToRehab
Gemma Costello, Clinical Lead of CCPNR and Sara O’Curry, Joint Head of Psychological Medicine, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
An exemplar model of care that illustrates the Cambridge Children’s Hospital ambition of a ‘whole child’ approach, with care closer to home, is influencing the development of a UK-wide Acquired Brain Injury strategy. Experts from our partner organisations Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Trust (CPFT) and CUH joined an All Party Parliamentary Reception to advocate for the importance of ongoing specialist care. Read the story
Our Research leadership
If you’d like to know more about the academics leading the planning and delivery of Cambridge Children’s Hospital Research Institute, please visit our new web page.
A headshot of a man with receding brown hair, glasses and a pale blue shirt
A head and shoulders shot of a man in a dark grey suit, light blue shirt, dark rimmed glasses and dark hair.
A headshot of a woman with long brown hair, dark rimmed glasses and dark top
A headshot of a man with greying hair, a greying goatee bear, glasses and a navy suit jacket
Our Campaign
A maroon and gold marketing image that says Presents Galore Est 1987, 28th-30th Nov 2025, Rowley Mile Racecourse - www.presentsgalore.org
Get cracking on Christmas at Presents Galore 
Kick off the festive season by visiting East Anglia's biggest Christmas fair, Presents Galore, and raise funds for local charities, including the new hospital. All tickets are eligible for free returns over the weekend. This means you can visit and enjoy the wonderful exhibitors as many times as you wish! Tickets available here.
Great Wall of China Trek
Join Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) on the 7th May 2026, as a team of fifteen people embark on an incredible adventure to a remote section of the Great Wall of China. Raising money for Cambridge Children’s Hospital, the trek will go from Gubeikou to Jinshanling and Simatai.
Find out more
An image of the great wall of china, with its turrets and surrounded by mountainous hillsides and lots of trees and shrubbery
Pigeon Golf Day raises thousands
Four men with their backs to the camera looking down a golf green. One man is taking a shot and swinging his club behind him. There are trees and golf buggies on the right hand side.
Thank you to the fantastic Pigeon team for partnering with ACT to support Cambridge Children’s Hospital over the last three years. This September, the team raised a fabulous £21,000 towards the campaign at their annual golf day.
Find out more about our fundraising campaign
Other News
Kemi Badenoch MP visits Cambridge Children’s Hospital site
A group of people standing with Kemi Badenoch in front of the Cambridge Children's Hospital hoardings on a sunny day.
Kemi Badenoch with long braided hair in a pony tail, wearing a smart shirt and standing with a group of people who are talking to her and smiling. One of the people is in nurse's uniform.
We welcomed Kemi Badenoch, MP for NorthWest Essex, including Saffron Walden, and Leader of HM Official Opposition, to the new hospital site. We updated Kemi on our plans to be the first hospital truly designed to treat mental and physical health together, under one roof.
Sharing our vision at the European Health
Property Network workshop
Learning from overseas colleagues is a vital part of our work to develop Cambridge Children's Hospital. Our Clinical Lead Nurse Vicky Amiss-Smith and Lienelle Geldenhuys from our healthcare design team White Arkitekter joined the Oslo event to share our own ambitions, but also network and learn from international clinicians, designers, and healthcare planners. They visited Radiumhospitalet and the new psychiatric hospital at the Akershus university hospital campus. These projects have been shaped by the most up-to-date models of care for oncology and mental health/substance misuse, using the latest in tools and technologies for planning, designing and constructing health facilities. 
Norfolk magazine shines light on
Cambridge Children’s Hospital
A young boy with curly, dark auburn hair wearing a hospital gown and a wire in his upper chest. he looks tired and worried. In the next photo, a little boy who has lost his hair through chemotherapy is lying on a bed with his arms around his little brothers in their pyjamas
Wisbech schoolboy Niall, who spent time in hospital being treated for cancer, joined his mum Claire to talk to KL Magazine about their hopes for Cambridge Children’s Hospital. You can read the story in the July/August edition on page 146
Ready, steady, Powerhouse Games are go! 
It was great to join the Powerhouse Games after so much fun last year. The games brought together volunteers from the Cambridge Biomedical Campus with participants from two special needs schools, a disability group, and a local state school.
“It was fantastic to be part of such an inclusive event, playing some innovative sports and meeting the brilliant children, young people and volunteers. Great fun was had by all!”
Milly Baker, Senior Project Manager
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