Guy’s and St Thomas’ will be giving Christmas lunch and dinner – as well as presents – to more than 1,000 patients who can’t go home this year.
Hospital staff will also serve special festive meals to the patients on Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. Some 1,200 adult patients, as well as 150 children at Evelina London, will get 7,200 meals between them.
As well as a traditional lunch with all the trimmings on Christmas Day, the patients will have fresh orange juice and croissants for breakfast, afternoon tea with Christmas cake and an individual buffet box.
Hospital staff working on Christmas Day will also get a free breakfast, lunch and Christmas cake.
Marcel Dueren, catering central production manager at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “Our catering teams have been quietly beavering away behind the scenes for the last two months in preparation for the big day.
“Nobody wants to be in hospital during the festive season so we want it to be as enjoyable as it can be. We’re also taking special care of our youngest patients at Evelina London Children’s Hospital by providing smaller portions of lunch and buffet boxes, and have arranged for meals to go out to various community sites.”
Staff will give about 1,600 gifts – mainly toiletries – to patients in hospital and to people who can’t leave their homes. Some 150 children and young people being cared for by Evelina London in hospital and in the community will also receive a gift.
All of this is funded by Guy’s and St Thomas’ charity and Evelina London children’s charity, which support the three hospitals that make up one NHS trust.
Kieron Boyle, Guy’s & St Thomas’ charity chief executive, said: “It is our great pleasure to be able to bring a little joy and comfort to patients at this special time of year. All year round, and throughout the pandemic, the dedicated staff across Guy’s and St Thomas’ have provided exceptional care for this amazing community of ours. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we hope that the festive season might be that little bit brighter too.”
What goes into 1,200 portions of traditional Christmas lunch?
· 180kg of turkey
· 80kg of mashed potatoes
· 110kg of roasted potatoes
· 88kg of Brussels sprouts
· 35kg of cranberry sauce
Around 150 vegetarian portions of lunch will be served, which includes rich butternut squash, spinach and roasted winter vegetables with herb pastry top.