Sick Kids Set To Benefit From Black Sabbath Farewell Concert

We were beyond thrilled that our charity was chosen as one of the partners for the seminal Black Sabbath ‘Back To The Beginning’ concert, which was held at Villa Park last July.

The Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, and his bandmates return to their Brummie roots for their final show. It was the first time the original line up had played together in 20 years.

Ozzy grew up in Aston, less than three miles away from our hospital and had supported us in the past, as his son Louis was treated here. He last paid us a visit back in 2015 (pictured above), as part of our Big Hoot art trail, which saw 89 owl structures designed by artists and auctioned off to raise money for our Star Appeal, creating the UK’s first paediatric rare diseases centre.

Ozzy came to see an owl called ‘Ozzy’s Owl’ painted in his honour by his artist friend Graham Frank Wright. It was eventually auctioned off for £12,500, contributing to the more than half a million pounds raised by the Big Hoot.

He wasn’t alone in his support of our charity; in past years Tony Iommi took part in our Big Bandage campaign, wearing a bandage to show solidarity with our brave patients.

Mark Brider, CEO of Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “It was an incredible honour to be chosen as one of the charity partners for this historic farewell concert. Ozzy had an incredible career and life, but he never forgot his Brummie roots. The fact that he chose to support our hospital speaks to his generous nature. Everyone at Birmingham Children’s Hospital – our wonderful staff, brave kids and families – is eternally so very grateful to Ozzy, Sharon and Black Sabbath.”