Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland is again joining forces with Leicester Hospitals to make Christmas special for the hundreds of older people who will spend Christmas on a ward in the Royal Infirmary, the General or Glenfield Hospital.
The campaign in previous years has encouraged people to donate a small gift bag for either a male or female older patient with small items up to the value of £10, however this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic they are having to adopt a different approach.
Current restrictions that help to keep patients and staff safe mean members of the public are unable to drop off or deliver presents at the hospitals or Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland shops.
This year Age UK Leicester Shire & Rutland are not asking for gifts to be donated, but for those who would still like to support the charity, especially considering the tough times that a lot of older people are facing as we go into winter, they have set up a donation page that will help them to continue the vital support that many people will need through the coming months.
You can donate online here.
All patients waking up on Christmas day will still get a gift but the charity is now looking for help to make the gifts personal – and they are reaching out to the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to send in personalised messages via the hospital website, to personalise each gift.
To submit a message, click here before Friday 11 December. All messages will be added on a Christmas card with a gift.
Additionally, children are being invited to submit a Christmassy picture for the card design. Two of the best under-18 designs will be chosen for the card and will be made available as a gift tag download for people to use at home too.
For any enquiries about donations of gift bags for the hospitals, please email nikky.miles@ageukleics.org.uk or call 0116 223 7346.
