Rocco Forte Hotels has unveiled a new charitable initiative designed to support the emotional wellbeing of children undergoing medical treatment in Rome, launching an audio storytelling project featuring internationally recognised actors and beloved voice artists.
The programme, titled Bedtime Stories, has been developed in partnership with Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS and aims to bring comfort, familiarity and moments of calm to young patients during their hospital stay.
The collection features ten classic stories narrated in both English and Italian and will be available to children receiving care at Gemelli University Hospital, one of Italy’s leading healthcare institutions.
Bringing Comfort Through Storytelling
Each year, approximately 20,000 children receive treatment at Gemelli University Hospital. The new initiative seeks to recreate the familiar bedtime routine many children experience at home, helping reduce anxiety and emotional stress associated with hospital care.
The stories are based on some of Aesop’s most enduring fables, including The Fox and the Grapes and The Ant and the Grasshopper, chosen for their timeless lessons and reassuring simplicity.
Produced in collaboration with Suoni Lab, the project combines professional storytelling with voices that many children already know from popular films, television programmes and animated characters.
Hollywood Stars Join the Project
The English-language collection features contributions from several internationally acclaimed actors, including Matthew McConaughey, known to younger audiences as the voice of Buster Moon in the Sing films, alongside Andy Garcia and Winston Duke.
Their participation aims to create an immediate emotional connection with young listeners, offering a sense of familiarity during challenging moments.
The Italian-language recordings feature some of the country’s most recognisable voice actors, including performers associated with beloved characters such as Winnie the Pooh, Peppa Pig, Donkey from Shrek, Iago from Aladdin, Kermit the Frog and Mufasa from The Lion King.
Supporting Families Beyond Hospital Care
The launch of Bedtime Stories also supports a broader mission focused on helping families remain close to children undergoing treatment.
To mark the initiative, Hotel de la Ville in Rome hosted a fundraising dinner benefiting La Casa dei Bambini – Trenta Ore per la Vita, a new accommodation project being developed within the Gemelli hospital campus.
The event has already raised more than €110,000 to support the creation of dedicated family accommodation for relatives travelling from across Italy and abroad to remain close to children receiving care.
A New Home Near the Hospital
La Casa dei Bambini Trenta Ore per la Vita will be a three-storey residential facility located on the Gemelli campus, providing 14 family rooms alongside shared communal spaces.
The project has been designed around accessibility, sustainability and modern technology, creating a welcoming environment for families facing extended periods of medical treatment.
The initiative is being delivered through a partnership involving Trenta Ore per la Vita, Ronald McDonald House Charities Italy and the Toniolo Institute for Advanced Studies.
According to organisers, both the accommodation project and the Bedtime Stories initiative share a common goal: ensuring that children and their families feel supported, cared for and connected during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Hospitality Beyond the Hotel
For Rocco Forte Hotels, the initiative reflects the company’s broader commitment to hospitality beyond traditional hotel experiences.
Founded by Sir Rocco Forte and Lady Olga Polizzi in 1996, the luxury hospitality group operates a collection of landmark hotels, resorts and residences across Europe. Through projects such as Bedtime Stories, the company is extending its focus on care and wellbeing into the community, using the power of storytelling to bring comfort where it is needed most.
