Barts Charity launches largest ever gift appeal for our hospitals
We’re calling on the generous East London public to get behind Barts Charity’s annual Christmas Gift Appeal. 2020 will be our charity’s most ambitious Christmas appeal ever, as for the first time, all patients spending the festive season in our five hospitals will receive a gift. The appeal will also provide hampers for the hardworking staff on all wards across the Trust.
After an extremely tough year, NHS staff and patients across East London need Christmas more than ever, so Barts Charity is asking for donations through their new website or over the phone which will be used to purchase the gifts.
Our staff are at the heart of the appeal and for the first time in the Charity’s history, ads promoting the appeal will appear at bus stops and tube stations around the hospitals.
Emmanuella Sode, a Ward Sister from St Bartholomew’s Hospital who features in the ads, says:
“For me, Christmas is just not complete without gift-giving. I remember on Christmas Day last year watching one of my patients, an 80-year-old pensioner called Susan, unwrapping the gift we gave to her. When I explained that this was a gift from Barts Charity, paid for by the people of her community, she suddenly had tears rolling down her cheeks and a great big smile on her face!
When I asked why the tears, Susan said she hadn’t expected a gift at all. Our gift gave Susan such a lift that she was happy for the whole of Christmas Day. I hope we can give gifts to our patients again this year as 2020 been so stressful for everyone in our hospitals.”
Fiona Miller Smith, Chief Executive of Barts Charity says:
“East London is who we are and where our healthcare funding makes most impact. We have been immensely proud of the people of East London, who rallied around our local NHS workers during the first peak of the pandemic and helped us raise record amounts to support the fight against Covid-19.
We hope East Londoners will once again show their generous spirit, and help us bring a little festive joy to our hospitals during another challenging period.”
To support visit the Barts Charity Christmas Gift Appeal or call 020 7618 1720.