McDonald's

What we do

RMHC UK was established in 1989. It is one of a network of RMHC 'chapters' operating in 50 countries throughout the world, providing services to support the wellbeing of children and families.

Accommodation is provided through Ronald McDonald Houses and Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, which are located near to the hospital or adjacent to the ward, giving families the chance to get some crucial rest and to regain a sense of normality.

Where possible, every bedroom has a telephone directly linked to the hospital ward. Knowing they can have direct contact with the ward should an emergency arise at any time of the day or night, gives families peace of mind and helps them to relax.

Why we do it

In any year, up to one in every fifteen children and young people will be admitted to hospital. For some families, this is no more than an inconvenience, as their child will only be in hospital for one or two nights. For other families who have travelled a long distance for their child's treatment or who find themselves facing weeks or even months of in-patient care ahead, the lack of sleep can have a real and profound impact on their ability to cope with their child's need for support.

RMHC is able to provide support to such families and ensure they have somewhere to stay that is close to the hospital and available without cost. This means there is one less thing to worry about and parents can concentrate on their child's care.

The story so far

RMHC has so far opened twelve Houses and 29 sets of Family Rooms, providing over 350 family bedrooms every single night. Despite these developments, however, more accommodation is desperately needed by hospital-bound families across the UK and, to this end, the Charity requires a significant increase in funding to ensure this need can be met.

We would like to provide this facility at every major children's hospital in the UK, and, with your support, we believe that this is achievable.