Christmas Comes Early at the West Mid

Piles of toys brought in for children at the hospital

Thanks to the generosity of staff at Japan Airlines (JAL), Tesco Twickenham, and Brentford Football Club, Christmas came early for children at West Middlesex University Hospital.

JAL crew members Pilar Fernandez and Emilie Boitard accompanied play specialist, Hannah Beka as they took round a trolley laden with toys for children on Starlight and Sunshine wards.

Ground and flight staff from the nearby Heathrow base have been donating new toys collected from their travels to West Middlesex for many years, to cheer up children needing hospital care over Christmas.

Emilie said: “We enjoy being able to bring a smile to the face of a poorly child even if just for a few moments, and it's a great experience to come here and offer the toys.”

The children really couldn't believe their luck when Santa arrived later that day with staff from Tesco Twickenham to hand out even more presents to children in A&E, and Sunshine and Starlight wards.

Tesco Twickenham's community Champion, Hira Parmar, said: “It is really a pleasure to surprise the children with gifts, not forgetting their siblings, for whom it can also be stressful time.”

Kay-Louise Emerson, a staff nurse on the A&E children's ward, said: “We are so grateful to the staff at Tesco Twickenham for their generosity. Playing with toys can help reduce children's pain and anxiety, and helps make coming to hospital a less scary experience.”

On Friday 20 December staff from the Sunshine and Starlight wards held a Christmas party for all the children which included various games and a visit from Santa with more presents. Then, on Monday 23 December, Alan Walsh, Operations Manager at Brentford Football Club, dropped off several sack loads of presents for the children's ward.

December 24, 2013