The Oxford Hospitals Charity team is getting ready to bring some Christmas cheer to our hospitals!

Christmas trees are going into the hospital sites later this week, and the charity is once again supporting the Decorate Your Ward competition, which encourages staff to create festive displays in their areas.

And we are launching our special Give a Gift appeal  which raises funds to makes sure patients, young and old, who are in our hospitals over the festive period all get a little treat.

This fundraising appeal ensures that children in hospital (and their siblings) are given gifts to suit their age and abilities, chosen especially by Trust’s Play Specialist team.

Adults and older patients can also receive a gift bag, which includes a Christmas card from local school children, some useful toiletries, a few festive goodies and activities such as word searches and doodle sketchbooks.

The charity team will also be working with the local business community and volunteers to start the big job of packing the 1,500 gift bags which are then brought to wards and departments across the Trust in readiness for Christmas week. 

A special thank you to Bouygues, Bicester Village,  Bidwells and Airbus Helicopters for their support of the appeal and for helping with the packing efforts.

The appeal also helps fund some staff room treats to thank those working in our hospitals and ensures there are Christmas trees on each of the sites to raise a smile with patients and staff.

If you know anyone who may wish to support this Christmas appeal do share the charity website www.hospitalcharity.co.uk/gift23 

Thank you for your kind support this Christmas.