Browse Sections

• Education
• Special reports

Toy appeal spreads a little Christmas cheer

Lisa Woodhouse
21/12/2005

POORLY children in Stepping Hill Hospital's Treehouse Unit were delighted to receive sacks full of cuddly toys this week, kindly donated by readers to this year's toy appeal.

To see how the Stockport Express's toy appeal was helping to spread Christmas cheer I visited the hospital to chat to patients and staff about their plans for the Christmas holiday.

Children from the Mulberry day case ward, Brambles medical unit, Rainforest surgical overnight unit, Acorn babies and isolation unit and the assessment unit will receive some of the toys.

Others will be given to Santa to distribute to those patients too ill to return home on Christmas morning.

Bev Williams, hospital play specialist, said: "The doctors try to discharge as many children as possible over Christmas so that they can be at home with their family. We try to make it as much fun as possible for those in on Christmas day. Santa visits in the morning and gives all the children presents, family visit the ward and we play lots of games."

Among the teddies taken to the ward were a collection of Scottie dogs, tiny stockings, gingerbread men and skiing reindeers.