Thanks to generous support for NHS Charities Together, NHS charities have spread festive cheer to lift the spirits of staff, volunteers and patients.

They include Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity which has been working across Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust to say thank you at the end of this extraordinary year.

As part of the charity’s Deck our Wards campaign, the Trust’s three hospital sites were decorated inside and out with festive fun.

Sophie Burt, Head of Fundraising and Community Development at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity, said:

“This year in particular it was really important that we balanced the joy that decorations can bring with keeping everyone safe.  Any decorations had to be compliant with the strict cleaning regimes needed. The charity was able to work with a local company who provided cleanable decorations are cost price.”

Members of the senior team also visited as many wards and departments across the Trust’s sites as possible to deliver festive goodie bags, and through the support of local company Baylis and Harding hundreds of Christmas gifts were provided for patients spending Christmas Day in hospital and further donations were issued for the children’s and maternity and neonatal wards.

Sophie added: “It was been wonderful to hear from our staff how much they have appreciated their festive deliveries and how much joy the decorations have brought to their working day.”

To make their festive activities possible, the charity used a combination of funding from NHS Charities Together, public donations for the charity’s Christmas Gift Appeal, as well as incredible gifts in kind and cost prices from local suppliers and supermarkets.

Funds received from NHS Charities Together also supported an alcohol awareness campaign run by the charity.