Help make Christmas special for those in hospital this festive season!
The University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) Volunteers Service is once again joining forces with Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust to encourage local people to donate presents for our older patients who will be too ill to leave hospital this Christmas.
The Neonatal Unit are also pleased to announce that the neonatal campaign will also be running again this year for the tiny babies who will be spending their very first Christmas in hospital and not at home with their family.
Following the success of this campaign in previous years, we want you to help us make Christmas Day special again this year.
How to donate
Its really simple! Just print off a gift tag: older people / neonatal, fill it in and attach it to a small gift bag filled with goodies! You don't need to spend a lot of money to make someone smile - we suggest items add up to no more than £10.
We have listed a few recommended items, plus items we are unable to accept. We would appreciate it if these lists could be followed as it helps our volunteers when they check and distribute the gifts. Please click on the links below to find out more.
Making Christmas Special for older people in hospital for the festive season (the links below will lead you to the Leicester's Hospitals website):
Making Christmas Special for babies in the neonatal unit for the festive season
Is your child making a donation? Download our new colour in gift tag for them to add a personal touch to their gift - click here to download
Information about donating gifts to older patients:
Over the past six years, staff and local people have amazed us with their generosity. As part of our Making Christmas Special campaign we collected presents for every single one of our older patients who spent Christmas Day in hospital with us - last year we received over 1500 bags!
This Christmas, the UHL Communications Team and Volunteer Service is once again joining forces with Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland and the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust to encourage local people to donate Christmas presents for our older patients who will be too ill to leave hospital and celebrate Christmas at home with their loved ones.
Carolyn Fox, Chief Nurse for Leicester’s Hospitals, said: “The Making Christmas Special campaign highlights a real community spirit and we would be delighted if people once again decide to give a little to make a big difference to our older patients spending Christmas in one of our hospitals, instead of at home with their families. Receiving a gift on Christmas Day that has been generously donated means so much to our patients.”
Tony Donovan, executive director at Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland said: “This campaign makes an enormous difference to older patients who have to spend Christmas in hospital and the generosity of the community always brings a smile to their face.”
Alison Reynolds, volunteer services co-ordinator for Leicester’s Hospitals, explains: “Nobody wants to spend their Christmas in hospital but unfortunately many are not well enough to go home. The generous donations of gifts from members of the public, staff and people from community groups and businesses make it possible for us to provide patients with some Christmas cheer".
Nikki Beacher, Head of Service for Community Hospitals, from Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust said “Our patients were thrilled to receive presents last year through the ‘Making Christmas Special’ campaign. It made a big difference to their experience of being in hospital at this time of year. We would like to thank all those who made donations last year and to those who will contribute this year. It really is appreciated by our patients.”
Packaging your gifts
We welcome all new gifts, still in its original packaging. Your gifts should be put into a small gift bag which is clearly labelled. By putting items in a gift bag rather than wrapping them, we can ensure that the products are safe and appropriate before passing them on. You can find suggestions of what to include, and details of items we cannot accept below.
Suggested gifts
- Lip balms, hand lotions, foot lotions or other moisturising lotions or hand wipes (either fragrance free or gently fragranced)
- Soaps, body wash or deodorant
- Slipper socks or bed socks
- Chocolates, biscuits, sweets, cereal bars, Halal / Indian sweets (not homemade)
- Cordials, original, herbal or flavoured tea-bags, hot chocolate or coffee sachets
- Pens, pencils, notepads, notelets, cards, books and puzzle books
Things we cannot accept
To prevent infection, we will only be able to accept new items in their original packaging and gifts placed in a gift bag and not wrapped in paper. All purchased food products must be in a sealed package and still in date on 25 December 2019
Unfortunately, we are not able to accept:
Edible homemade gifts (cakes, sweets etc), alcohol, electrical items, used clothing or books, DVDs or VHS tapes, political, denominational or religious material, glass items or bottles, and candles.
Labelling your gift bags
Please download and print a gift label, tick the appropriate box [suitable for a man / woman / anyone], then write your own personal message and attach it to your gift.
Where to take your gift
You can leave presents at the main receptions at any of our three main hospital sites – Leicester General, Royal Infirmary and Glenfield Hospital.
You can also take your gift to any Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland shop in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland or any of their resource centres in Leicester:
Click here to see a list of Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland shops and centres.
Information about donating gifts to neonatal babies:
All babies are special, and babies who need extra support and care after birth will need to stay in a neonatal unit. These babies may have been born early (premature), may be very small (perhaps twins or triplets) or may have be born very sick.
Nothing can prepare a parent for their baby arriving early, and this can be even more heart-wrenching at Christmas time.
Last year at UHL there were around 40 premature and poorly tiny babies in the Neonatal unit on Christmas Day, and thanks to the generosity of local people each one of them received a gift.
This year we are predicating our dedicated nurses and doctors will be caring for a similar number of babies giving them the intensive support they need to help them survive and thrive.
Following the success of our Making Christmas Special campaign over the past five years, we are again asking local people to get involved by buying a small gift for these tiny babies who will be spending their very first Christmas at UHL and not at home with their new family.
Packaging your gifts
We welcome all new gifts, still in their original packaging. Your gifts should be put into a small gift bag which is clearly labelled. By putting items in a gift bag rather than wrapping them, we can ensure that the products are safe and appropriate before passing them on.
You can find suggestions of what to include, and details of items we cannot accept below.
Ideas for of gifts you can donate
- Baby bibs
- Baby rattles (small)
- Socks and mittens
- Hooded towels/ robes for babies
- Baby brush and comb sets
- Baby wipes
- Baby cardigans (knitted NOT crochet)
- Cot mobiles
- Cot blankets
- Small cot toys
- Baby shampoo / hair conditioner, other baby toiletries
- Small soft toys (would need to be suitable for very young infants)
Things we cannot accept
To prevent infection, we will only be able to accept new items in their original packaging and gifts placed in a gift bag and not wrapped in paper. Please do not gift talcum powder.
Labelling your gift bag
Please download the label attached below, then write your own personal message and attach it to your gift.
MINI CHRISTMAS GIFT TAGS (on one A4 sheet) - Neonatal babies Campaign
Where to donate
You can donate your neonatal gift bags to the Kensington Maternity reception at the Royal Infirmary or the Maternity Unit Reception at the General Hospital.
Please note the deadline for donating older patient and neonatal gift bags is: Friday 13 December 2018
If you have any further questions, please contact the UHL communications team on communications@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
From everybody involved, THANK YOU!
