Give A Gift Appeal: More help is needed to make sure everyone gets a present in hospital this Christmas Day

Staff at the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity want to buy presents for every single patient who will be spending their Christmas Day on a ward at either the Royal Preston or Chorley and South Ribble Hospital - an expected 764.

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In order to get a head-start on Santa, the charity needs readers to give generously online as Covid has forced changes to the way donations are made.

There has already been a "great response" to the appeal, but more help is needed reaching the goal of £3,820, which is a £5 allocation for each present.

The kinds of gifts that will be bought include hats, gloves, and toiletry gift sets.

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Roya Armstrong, fundraising manager, has thanked Lancashire Post readers for their help.

She said: "We would like thank everyone who has so far supported this year’s Give a Gift Appeal. The response has been very positive but we've not quite hit our target yet.

“If anyone would like to bring a smile to someone’s face in hospital this Christmas, please get in touch.”

In previous years, the charity has been able to accept toys and gifts bought by members of the public and dropped off at the charity office in the foyer of the Royal Preston Hospital. This year though, as was also the case last year, Covid-19 restrictions make giving in this way impossible.

Paula Wilson, head of charities, added: “Last year’s Give a Gift campaign was really successful. Thanks to the generosity of the public, we were able to supply over 500 patients with gifts and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we had from ward managers made us feel like we were able to make a massive difference to those who were sadly staying with us on Christmas Day.

"It would be wonderful to be able to replicate that level of support again.”

All the gifts will be of a similar value, with any extra funds raised will go directly to benefit patients through charity work.