A virtual winter wonderland experience has launched this week, raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity this Christmas.
Technology brand NVIDIA built the family-friendly game within Minecraft, including a blocky recreation of the world-famous London children's hospital. It took a specialist artist 300 hours and more than 30 million virtual blocks to create, and when scaled up represents a 38-acre site — which is four times the size of the world's biggest real-life winter wonderland type event, in Austria.
Anyone can access the winter wonderland online for free, and take part in virtual activities including interactive rides, attractions such as an ice skating rink, and quests, like helping Santa on his festive mission. Look out for nods to scenes from famous Christmas films, including Elf and Polar Express.
Though it's all good festive fun — particularly for anyone stuck at home isolating — it has a more serious purpose. Visiting Great Ormond Street Hospital on screen gives viewers the chance to make a donation to support the charity's Home for Christmas campaign via a QR code, helping as many young patients as possible to spend the festive season with their families.
Download and play the game here, or make a donation to the Home for Christmas campaign here.
Meanwhile, visitors to the real-life Great Ormond Street Hospital can admire this crocheted festive post box topper.
