A brand-new mascot created by a talented Sandwell College student is set to become a familiar face on health campuses and communities across Birmingham and Sandwell once it is unveiled by Your City & Metropolitan Hospitals Charity on Wednesday 7 October at The Gallery, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
Celebrating a unique collaboration between the local hospital charity and the next generation of creative talent, the mascot was designed to bring people together, raise smiles and start conversations about the difference charitable giving can make. The mascot will represent the Charity at hospital visits, community events, fundraising activities and celebrations. Teja the student designer commented: “It has been really special to use my skills and something I love, design, to give something back to a charity that supports people in my own community. Knowing the mascot will be seen by patients, families and NHS staff, and might make somebody smile or encourage them to support the Charity, makes me incredibly proud and I’m very grateful to have been given this opportunity. I hope it becomes a character that people across Sandwell and Birmingham really take to their hearts.”
The Charity supports Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, raising funds to go over and above core NHS funding and enhance the experience of patients, families and staff across its hospitals and community services. Diane Wake, Group Chief Executive said: “Charitable support has an incredibly important role to play alongside the care our NHS provides every day. It helps us fund initiatives that can improve people’s life chances, enhance our patients’ experience and make a real difference to the wellbeing and experience of our staff. Our hospitals are at the heart of the communities we serve, so it is particularly fitting that our new Charity mascot has been created by a talented local student. I hope it will help us connect with even more people and inspire them to get involved in supporting the work of the Charity.”
The mascot will support the Charity’s work across Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, Sandwell Health Campus, City Health Campus, Rowley Regis Hospital and community healthcare services. Jemma Martin, Senior Fundraiser at Your City & Metropolitan Hospitals Charity, said: “We wanted our mascot to have a real connection with the people and places our Charity exists to support, and working with Sandwell College has made that possible. It is much more than simply having a fun character at events. Our new mascot will help us start conversations about the Charity, bring people together and show how fundraising and donations can make a difference to patients, families and NHS colleagues. We want our mascot to be out and about in our communities, meeting patients and staff, supporting fundraisers, visiting events and, most importantly, putting smiles on people’s faces. We hope our newest team member will quickly become a much-loved part of the Charity.”
With more than 8,000 Trust staff and healthcare services supporting a population of more than half a million people, the Charity hopes the mascot will provide an accessible and fun way for people of all ages to connect with its work.
All are welcome on Wednesday 7 October 2026 between 12pm and 4pm when patients, staff, community partners, supporters and friends of the Charity are invited to meet the mascot at its official launch, in The Gallery, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital. Visitors will be able to meet the mascot and its student designer, take photographs, meet the Charity team and learn more about how charitable support makes a difference for patients, families and NHS staff.