In 2023, Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity launched fundraiser Games for the Weans. What was originally an attempt to reach out to Scotland’s gaming community for support in upgrading old consoles has turned into a pioneering campaign, raising over £100,000 in its first year.
Games for the Weans aims to bring joy to children in hospital by offering them the chance to play video games alongside more traditional activities such as arts and crafts, storytelling, and reading. The initiative came after medical studies showed the link between playing video games and reduced feelings of anxiety among hospital patients.
Following the success of the project, which is supported by Devolver Digital and Neonhive, the charity carved out a position that is currently known as the Gamer-in-Residence. The first of its kind in the UK and Ireland, the role is based in the Royal Hospital for Children in Govan.
After his position as Editor-in-Chief of the Strathclyde Telegraph, Steven Mair spent two years working as a Digital Journalist before joining Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity as a Marketing Officer. As the avid gamer of his team, Mair was tasked with overseeing the Games for the Weans campaign before being offered a full-time position playing with the children. “I was incredibly honoured to be chosen for that,” he says.
As Gamer-in-Residence, Mair’s day-to-day duties involve fundraising, coordinating with gaming volunteers, and working closely with the hospital’s play team. The scheme hopes to bring a sense of normalcy to the patient’s lives. “These children can’t play their favourite sports with their teammates or meet up with friends to go to the shopping centre or the cinema,” he explains. “They’re missing out on socialising at school. Many things are taken from them because of what they’re going through, but video games are one of the things that we can keep from their outside life.”
Attending out-of-hours events to maintain partnerships and organising themed celebrations, such as recent ‘Mario Day’ event which saw the children race real-life karts around a physical track, Mair’s passion goes back to his own childhood love of gaming. “I was into FIFA ‘06 and ’07, I think those were my first games,” he says. “I grew up playing all of the Super Mario games, Animal Crossing, and things like that. I’ve been a gamer all my life, so it is incredibly emotive using that passion to bring a little bit of joy into the days these kids are spending in the wards. It’s something that I really believe in.”
By acting as a ‘player two’, Mair hopes to combat loneliness and boredom among the children. “We want to make gaming more of a sociable thing, like the way we enjoyed it as kids,” he explains. “The way we played it would be multiplayer, with your brother or sister, or with your friend who’s around for a sleepover. We want to make it fun, to play games as they’re meant to be played.”
Last year, the initiative was boosted by a $12,000 donation from US charity Child’s Play, who support gaming in hospitals around the world. Mair and his colleagues follow an interactive gaming guide made by the charity, which recommends games to aid relaxation and relieve stress for patients.
Mair says one of his most memorable moments on the job was with Ayaan, who spent several months in hospital following a car accident. Not only did gaming help to boost morale, but helped to stimulate movement in Ayann’s left hand which had been left paralysed. “One day we had an interviewer in to see me gaming with him, and when they walked in, Ayaan instantly pointed at me and told them that I had fixed his hand, which was incredibly sweet. He loved playing the games.”
Games for the Weans relies on continued fundraising to sustain its services. Having signed up for the Glasgow Kiltwalk, dyed his hair purple, and participated in a 24-hour stream, Mair insists that there’s something for everyone looking to get involved. “You can basically just incorporate gaming into whatever you do,” he explains. “You could do a streaming challenge, or go outside and take part a running challenge. We have a tattoo studio that wants to do a gaming flash day. Just think, what is it you’re good at, what is it that you are passionate about? You can turn that into a fundraiser, that is for sure.”
Steven Mair can be reached at steven.mair@gchc.scot.
Editor-in-Chief.
Fourth year English and Creative Writing and Politics and International Relations student.
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