Children’s artwork from Cambridge schools will be showcased in the paediatric waiting area of a new private healthcare centre planned for Sawston, after Welbeck Cambridge announced the winners of its Cambridge Reimagined art competition. The centre, serving self-paying and insured patients across Cambridgeshire, is expected to open in early 2027.
The competition invited pupils to reinterpret the city through imaginative scenes and landscapes, from underwater streetscapes to woodland takeovers and futuristic skylines. Selected pieces will appear as a rotating mural projection in the dedicated paediatrics waiting area, part of a bid to create a calmer, more welcoming environment for young patients and their families.
Winning entries from local schools
Welbeck Cambridge confirmed three winners from each participating school following submissions from across the region. The shortlisted pupils are:
- St Faith’s Prep School, Cambridge: Maggie M (Year 8), Eilidh F (Year 8), Sara SF (Year 8)
- William Westley Church of England Primary School, Whittlesford, Cambridge: Keltie W (aged 10), Lois C (aged 10), Evelina Y (aged 10)
| School | Pupils |
|---|---|
| St Faith’s Prep School, Cambridge | Maggie M (Y8); Eilidh F (Y8); Sara SF (Y8) |
| William Westley C of E Primary, Whittlesford | Keltie W (10); Lois C (10); Evelina Y (10) |
Designing for children’s comfort
The initiative forms part of Welbeck’s approach to patient-centred design, aiming to reduce anxiety and make clinical spaces feel friendlier for younger visitors. As part of the brief, pupils produced A2 landscape works using mainly 2D media such as paint, pencil or ink, and followed a bespoke colour palette developed for the hospital setting. The organisation says the competition has also helped strengthen ties with local schools as preparations continue for opening.
“This competition has been a wonderful way to engage with local schools and celebrate the creativity of young people across our community. The winning artwork will help create a welcoming and uplifting environment for children and families visiting ou”
While the full design of the paediatric area has not been released, the rotating projection is intended to allow multiple pieces to be displayed over time, ensuring a range of student perspectives on a “reimagined” Cambridge are visible to visitors. The approach reflects a growing emphasis within healthcare on the role of visual environments in patient experience, particularly in paediatric settings where distractions and positive imagery can help set a calmer tone before appointments.
What the new centre means for Cambridge
The Sawston facility is planned to serve communities across the wider Cambridge area, including families who choose to access private appointments. For local pupils, the project offers a high-profile platform for creative work and a tangible connection to a new community asset. For parents and carers, the paediatrics waiting space is being designed with comfort and reassurance in mind, through the inclusion of familiar city motifs reinterpreted by children themselves.
Welbeck Cambridge describes the Cambridge Reimagined competition as part of a broader effort to shape spaces around patient needs ahead of 2027. The organisation says it aims to support a less clinical first impression for young visitors, using student artwork to add colour, movement and recognisable local themes.
Next steps
As development progresses, further details about the paediatric area’s layout and the display schedule for the rotating mural are expected to be confirmed closer to opening. In the meantime, the shortlisted pupils will see their interpretations of Cambridge form a central feature of the new centre’s welcome to children and families in Sawston.
