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Hospital cinema shows Hollywood films to patients

Richard SteadNorth West
News imageBBC Photograph of 13 year-old Elliot from Bury. He is pictured in the MediCinema at Manchester Royal Infirmary.BBC
Elliot , 13, from Bury, was able to see the Minions movie a week before it was in local cinemas

A cinema has opened at Manchester Royal Infirmary, which will be able to show blockbuster Hollywood films - sometimes even before their general UK release.

The movie theatre has 50 brightly coloured seats with extra legroom - as well as space for wheelchairs, hospital beds and essential medical equipment.

Elliot Martin from Bury, who saw the cinema's first screening of the latest Minions movie, said: "It is brilliant for patients like me and I hope I can come back again."

The 13 year-old, a patient at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, added: "I feel absolutely brilliant and I'd love to watch a Star Wars film here."

News imagePhotograph of 12 year-old Rose from Cheadle Hulme. She is pictured in the MediCinema at Manchester Royal Infirmary.
Rose, 12, from Cheadle Hulme is a patient at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

The MediCinema is based in a former lecture theatre, close to the main entrance of the MRI, and it will be available to patients across the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust's hospitals.

The facility launched with a special screening of the children's feature film Minions and Monsters, ahead of its official release in UK cinemas on 1 July.

Rose from Stockport, who is also a patient at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, said: "I think it looks great and I love the honeycombs across the wall because it reminds me of the Manchester Bee."

The 12 year-old from Cheadle Hulme added: "I'm going to tell my friends I've watched the new Minions film before its released in normal cinemas."

News imagePhotograph of Colin Lawrence from the hospital cinema charity MediCinema. He is pictured in front of brightly coloured hexagons inside the hospital.
Colin Lawrence, Chief Executive of the hospital cinema charity MediCinema, say they need to wait for the right space to open up

The cinema cost £1.1m and it was built thanks to a fundraising campaign led by the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust's charity.

They worked alongside the charity MediCinema, which has opened cinemas at hospitals across the country since launching in 1999.

Colin Lawrence, the Chief Executive of MediCinema, said: "We're really well supported by the film industry and Universal Pictures have enabled us to show the Minions film a week before general release."

"The key thing was finding the right space and this cinema is brilliantly located, close to the bed lifts at the hospital, so the results are worth it".

News imagePhotograph of Julia Birchall-Searle from the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. She is pictured in front of the MediCinema.
Julia Birchall-Searle from the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust says the cinema gives the children "escapism"

Julia Birchall-Searle, the Director of Nursing at the Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The children are so excited and some of our families have waited such a long time for this facility to open."

"It provides some escapism from being a patient and having treatment, so the children can spend valuable time with their families while they're in hospital."

It is hoped the Medicinema will show up to 260 films each year, including the latest Hoillywood blockbusters, family favourites and much-loved classics.

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