Raising a Smile for Christmas appeal delivers £19,137 worth of festive cheer across 37 inpatient wards

31 Dec 2024

As the year comes to an end, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who supported this year’s Raising a Smile for Christmas appeal, which brightened the Christmas season for inpatients across our Trust.

Through the collective generosity of donors, sponsors, and volunteers, the appeal achieved remarkable results:

·       600 Christmas gifts were delivered to 37 inpatient units across the Trust.

·       Contributions totalled an incredible £19,137, including gifts-in-kind and financial donations.

These gifts brought festive cheer to our inpatients and made a tangible difference during the season.

The success of this initiative would not have been possible without the outstanding support from organisations, businesses, and individuals:

·       Giving World donated luxurious toiletry sets.

·       Dunelm contributed cozy blankets, toys, and wrapping paper.

·       Amazon’s Hinckley and Rugby distribution centers provided colouring books and coloured pencils, puzzle books and a dedicated team of volunteer gift-wrappers.

·       Leicester City Football Club (LCFC) provided sports equipment and games for young patients at the Beacon Unit.

·       Generous financial support was also received from Tilbury Douglas, Fusion Electrics, Thomas Cassie & Sons, who are our Christmas Tree competition sponsors and many individual donors.

Beyond the material contributions, the appeal was powered by the dedication and enthusiasm of volunteers and staff, a proper team effort:

·       Corporate volunteers from Amazon brought festive cheer as they tackled the gift-wrapping process with skill and efficiency.

·       LPT colleagues and volunteers ensured every gift was thoughtfully prepared and ready for delivery.

·       Reception staff provided seamless coordination.

·       Porters played a vital role in managing logistics, ensuring each gift was delivered to the correct location.

·       The Health & Safety and IPC teams navigated gift sensitivities and approvals, enabling the initiative to proceed smoothly and safely.

To all who donated, wrapped, helped organising, and delivered: your generosity and kindness have made a profound difference. The smiles and joy created by your contributions were felt across the Trust this festive season.

As we reflect on the success of the Raising a Smile for Christmas appeal, we look forward to continuing this spirit of giving and making an even greater impact in the coming year.