Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation launches new ‘Paused Playground’ campaign via Banter

With an ambitious aim to raise $15 million over the next eight weeks, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation’s (SCHF) Sydney Sick Kids Appeal swung into action with the opening of the Paused Playground at Customs House Forecourt on Tuesday morning, created by the team at Banter.

The Paused Playground, an oversized playground frozen in time, is a physical reminder that every child in hospital is a childhood on hold. With a swing, seesaw and slide frozen in place, visitors can scan a QR code to watch as the playground comes to life on the screen, reminding them that they can help press play on the childhood of sick kids.

The augmented reality experience integrated within the activation is designed to give people an immediate sense of where their money can go, with an immediate donation bringing the Paused Playground to life.

Says Coreena Hawkins, PR manager for Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation: “Every child in hospital is a childhood on hold. The Sydney Sick Kids Appeal aims to raise as much money as possible to help sick kids get back to doing the ordinary things that they love.

“Tax time is an incredibly busy time of year, so we wanted to create something that would cut through the noise and demonstrate the impact of community support on the lives of sick kids. By strategically investing in generating awareness, we’re able to secure even greater philanthropic support to help all sick kids. We immediately loved the Paused Playground concept as soon as Banter presented it to us – we thought it was both creative and sensitive, with a powerful augmented reality element – and we can’t wait to see the impact this has on sick kids and their families right across NSW.”

Says Paul Den, co-founder, Banter: “It’s not often you get the chance to work on a brief like this. It’s always incredible to see a bold pitch idea come to life and deliver beyond your wildest expectations. Our team are incredibly proud of the effort we’ve put in to bring this initiative to life and can’t wait to create more magic with the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.”

The Paused Playground is the centrepiece in an eight week campaign designed to truly make a difference.

Says Yvonne Stewart, acting CEO of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation: “As the exclusive charity partner of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, SCHF is dedicated to raising as much money as possible to support all sick kids, no matter where, no matter what.

“Starting this week, and running until the end of June, Sydney Sick Kids Appeal calls on our local communities and generous supporters to help us raise $15 million in eight weeks to fund new equipment, clinical positions, groundbreaking research, build state-of-the-art facilities, and run patient experiences, including our in-hospital art program.

“While we’re fortunate enough to have a public health system in Australia that allows us to access good hospitals and services for our families, the funds raised by Sydney Sick Kids Appeal allow us to elevate them to great ones.”

Sydney Sick Kids Appeal runs for eight weeks from today until the end of June. It is one of SCHF’s major appeals – aiming to raise $15 million for treatment, research, and patient experience in hospital.

To learn more about Sydney Sick Kids Appeal and how it can be supported, visit www.schf.org.au