From children’s books and Lego, to slippers and jigsaws, let’s help give every patient at Ipswich Hospital a present this Christmas.
That is the message today from staff at the Heath Road site as they launched the second-annual Christmas Giving Tree appeal.
The hospital team wants to collect at least 800 presents – enough for every patient in hospital on Christmas Day.
Anna Stoller, of the Ipswich Hospital Charity, said: “We want to be able to provide every patient who won’t make it home for Christmas with a small gift.
“Last year’s Giving Tree was a great success with gifts going to all our wards and bringing smiles to patients.
“It was great to see so many presents going under the tree at the launch and thanks to everyone who supports us.”
The Christmas Giving Tree is now in place in the hospital’s Courtyard Restaurant, waiting for piles of presents to arrive.
The hospital is searching for gifts ranging from slippers, jigsaws and toiletries for adult patients, to dolls, Lego and books for children.
Donations end on Friday, December 23.
An Ipswich Hospital spokesman added: “People who want to donate a gift can choose an item off the gift lift, on our website, and deliver it wrapped or unwrapped to the Courtyard restaurant and complete a gift tag provided. Hospital ‘elf’ volunteers will sort and deliver the gifts.”
Westbourne Academy in Ipswich is one of the first schools and businesses in the Ipswich area to pledge their support to the appeal, which is also supporting community groups, including the Ipswich Locality Homelessness Partnership, the Lighthouse charity and the Salvation Army.
The hospital spokesman added: “You can also support Aldeburgh Hospital, Felixstowe Hospital and Bluebird Lodge this Christmas. Please drop off your gifts in the same way and we will make sure they get to the patients before Christmas Day.”
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