The Royal London Hospital staff are encouraging people to support Barts Charity’s Christmas appeal and ensure every patient spending the festive season in one of the trust’s hospitals receives a gift.
The charity is also aiming to raise enough money to provide hampers for staff in each of the five hospitals Barts Charity supports - The Royal London, Mile End, St Bartholomew’s, Newham and Whipps Cross- as thanks for their hard work in a challenging year.
Geriatric consultant Sophie Edwards said: “This Christmas is going to be harder than ever for the frail and vulnerable patients in The Royal London.
“It’s very important that we’re able to offer them some comfort and joy in the midst of a very bleak winter.
“Everyone deserves a gift during the festive season and many of our patients are extremely grateful to have something to open on Christmas Day, and some of our older patients will have no other family or friends to provide this.”
She is among several staff members featuring in an ad campaign promoting the appeal at bus stops around Tower Hamlets and at Whitechapel station.
Colleague Veronica White, the clinical director for respiratory medicine, said: “I am expecting a difficult Christmas in east London’s hospitals this year.
“But if we get a strong response from the community to the Barts Charity Christmas gift appeal, we can make life a little easier on our patients.
“Giving presents to patients in hospital is a great way bring some joy and show we care.”
Fiona Miller Smith, chief executive of Barts Charity, added: “We have been immensely proud of the people of east London, who rallied around our NHS workers during the first peak of the pandemic and helped us raise record amounts to support the fight against Covid.
“We hope east Londoners will once again show their generous spirit and help us bring a little festive joy to our hospitals during another challenging period.”
To find out more about the appeal or to make a donation, visit bartscharity.org.uk/Christmas or call 020 7618 1720.
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