Patients and staff spending Christmas in Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals will be treated to gifts and festive meals at their bedsides.
On Christmas Day over 2,000 presents will be delivered to inpatients at hospitals in the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust – including Guy’s, St Thomas’ and Evelina London in Waterloo.
Every patient will also enjoy a choice of festive-themed feasts. NHS staff working on Christmas Day will receive free meals, and staff working in the community will receive a free buffet box.
Annette White, retail catering manager at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “By organising a festive lunch, we aim to create a joyful atmosphere where our colleagues can enjoy delicious food, share laughter and momentarily step away from their daily responsibilities.
“We spend months planning it so that everyone can have the best experience possible – this is especially important for our patients and staff who aren’t able to make it home over Christmas.”
Evelina London is going above and beyond to make Christmas a magical time for its young patients. Throughout December the Play Team are hosting a Christmas grotto for children to visit ‘virtual’ Santa, interactive concerts for all the family to enjoy, and coordinating present and book donations.
The project is supported by Guy’s & St Thomas’ Charity, Evelina London Children’s Charity, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity and the Brompton Fountain.