Lots of plans, events and activities are looking different this year, but Leicester’s Hospitals, with the help of Leicester Hospitals Charity are making sure that one thing will stay the same - all patients who wake up on Christmas Day at Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General or Glenfield Hospital will receive a Christmas gift.
Current restrictions that help to keep patients and staff safe and prevent the spread of COVID-19, mean members of the public are unable to drop off or deliver presents at the hospitals but through the Charity gifts have been purchased for adults and children.
Leicester’s Hospitals and our charity are now looking for help to make the gifts personal – and are reaching out to the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to ask that they send in personalised messages via Leicester’s Hospital’s website, to personalise each gift.
To submit a message people can go online to: www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/makingchristmasspecial before Friday 11 December. All messages will be added to a Christmas card to be given out to patients with a gift.
Additionally, children are being invited to submit a Christmassy picture for the card design. Two of the best under-18 designs will be chosen for the card and will be made available as a gift tag download for people to use at home too.
Lisa Davies, Director of Leicester Hospitals Charity said: “We have adapted the annual ‘Making Christmas Special campaign’ to make sure everyone can still receive a present on Christmas Day in the safest possible way.
“Although we can’t accept physical presents we really need your help with the messages. I have been in touch with Santa, who is happy with what we are doing and will make sure the presents get to our patients in time!”
For those who use the festive period to donate to local charities, the hospitals are encouraging people to consider the Leicester Children’s Hospital Appeal, which aims to raise £7.5m towards the first single-site children’s hospital in the East Midlands.
“We are getting so close to reaching our £7.5m target to help take the first step towards the East Midlands’ first dedicated children’s Hospital right here in Leicester,” says Lisa.
“Every year we are amazed at how generous the community is wanting to give gifts for patients in our hospitals over Christmas, but just for this year we would ask if people would consider donating to our incredibly important appeal instead.” Donations to this appeal can be made through www.DoThemProud.com
Donations to Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland will help to support older people in the community this Christmas. Donations can be made online at: www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/mcs
ENDS
Notes to editors
The ‘Making Christmas Special campaign’
Our annual campaign has been running for the seven years and we are truly grateful to everyone who has and continues to help. Full details are on the website at www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk/makingchristmasspecial
Leicester Children’s Hospital Appeal
The Leicester Children’s Hospital Appeal aims to raise £7.5million to help create a new state-of-the-art children’s hospital at the Leicester Royal Infirmary where, for the first time, all children’s hospital services will be located together under one roof.
Beyond this, the Appeal will support the second phase of the project with charitable contributions towards brick-and-mortar construction as well as environmental enhancements to make the new children’s hospital as comfortable and pleasant for our younger patients and their families as possible.
Anyone wanting to contribute towards making the Leicester Children’s Hospital Appeal a success can visit www.DoThemProud.com to donate, sign up as a supporter or learn more about the appeal, or can follow the appeal on Facebook at http://FB.me/DoThemProud and help spread the word on social media using #DoThemProud.
www.DoThemProud.com
Leicester’s Hospitals
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust is one of the biggest and busiest NHS Trusts in the country, serving the one million residents of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – and increasingly specialist services over a much wider area. Find out more: www.leicestershospitals.nhs.uk | @Leic_Hospital
Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland
Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland is an independent local charity with a national name. We work in the local community to help older people live happier, active, fulfilled and socially-engaged lives in communities around the City, County and Rutland.
Contact informationLeicester's Hospitals Communications team, communications@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Official press release no. 6945
