Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

There will be a chance for Casualty fans to purchase rare and unique memorabilia from the much-loved medical drama this month, when the series donates a range of items to Bristol Children's Hospital to be auctioned online to raise funds for Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal Charity.

The items – which include framed signed cast photographs, a set of scrubs worn by Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson), the Holby Hospital external ED sign from the Bristol set, Casualty favourite Ian Bleasdale's paramedic costume, characters' photo IDs, a Holby City emergency staff rota and the clapperboard from the last-ever Bristol-shot episode – will go under the hammer later this month to raise money for The Grand Appeal's current Echocardiogram Appeal.

Launched earlier in the year, the Echocardiogram Appeal will support the expert staff in the hospital's cardiac unit by raising funds to provide state-of-the-art equipment to support their life-saving, pioneering work. Casualty is donating the memorabilia as it prepares to close its Bristol base after 25 years of filming, to move to Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Cardiff's new drama village.

"Bristol has played a vital part in the success of Casualty and we are hugely grateful to the people of the city for putting up with us for all these years," says executive producer Johnathan Young. "The series was originally researched over 25 years ago at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and medical experts from Bristol have helped us ensure Casualty's medical authenticity throughout its history. We're delighted to be able to give something back and help raise money for this important appeal."

"We are delighted that the cast and crew of Casualty are supporting The Grand Appeal by donating truly fantastic prizes for our online auction and generously giving back to the Bristol community in this way," says Grand Appeal Fundraising Manager Lauren Vincent. "All funds raised from the auction will support our Echocardiogram Appeal for the Cardiac Ward at Bristol Children's Hospital. This state-of-the-art equipment will speed diagnosis and treatment and will help save the lives of children from all over Bristol and the South West of England who come to Bristol Children's Hospital for specialist cardiac care."

The items will go up for auction from 19 August, 2011. To bid on this exclusive Casualty online auction, please visit www.grandappeal.org.uk.

Notes to Editors

The Grand Appeal's Echocardiogram Appeal

Bristol Children's Hospital is nationally recognised for its pioneering work in interventional cardiology and treats over 10,000 patients every year. The current Echocardiogram Appeal will support the expert staff in the cardiac unit by purchasing state-of-the-art equipment to support their life-saving work.

The latest ECHO Cardiogram equipment helps to detect, diagnose and manage heart conditions in babies and children with breathtaking accuracy, capturing the whole heart in one beat rather than acquiring an image in seven heartbeats which results in faster and less invasive treatment and diagnosis.

The Grand Appeal are raising Β£250,000 for this new state-of-the-art scanning equipment to provide our patients with the very best facilities. This new scan will speed diagnosis and treatment and will help save the lives of children from all over Bristol, Bath, the South West of England and South Wales who come to Bristol Children's Hospital for specialist cardiac care.

Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal – Supporting Bristol Children's Hospital (Reg Charity No. 1043603)

Casualty

Casualty continues to entertain Saturday night audiences with a medicinal mixture of high-action drama, reflection of social and health issues and the everyday lives and loves of the staff at Holby City hospital's emergency department. Now celebrating its 25th birthday, Casualty is the world's longest-running prime time medical drama.

FW/BW2