It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for staff, patients and visitors to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.
A specially constructed sleigh has been installed just inside the reception area along with a reindeer named ‘Grimsby’ to delight passers-by this festive season.
The installation, which will now remain in situ until the New Year, has been made possible by Apleona, the facilities management company based within the hospital.
Andrew Ledger, Contracts Maintenance Manager with Apleona says:
“This is the third year in which we’ve installed a Christmas display in the hospital, having done a nativity and a Christmas Eve fireplace scene in previous years.
“A team of ten was involved in creating this year’s display, which took more than a week to make and a full working day to install. It features a sleigh, all constructed and hand-painted by the technical team at Apleona, which is being pulled by our reindeer, Grimsby, in a forest of Christmas trees.
“We have a very resourceful electrical wholesaler who we used to find us the reindeer, but the deer came in three separate parts; he earned his name as his body was sent to Hull but his head was originally sent to Grimsby!
“This year, we decided it would be nice to do something more than simply install a static display, so we’re now working with the hospital’s paediatric team and will be asking staff and visitors to donate gifts in return. These can be left with reception at the Women and Children’s Hospital, and will be shared out among those children coming into hospital on and around Christmas day.
“If the appeal proves successful, we’re hoping this will become somewhat of a tradition for the hospital and the children being cared for here in years to come.”
Visitors to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital will see the display as they move through the entrance to the hospital, just on the left past reception.
Anyone wishing to donate a gift should drop these off at the hospital’s reception. Presents should be wrapped but with a note or tag attached which states the contents and the suitable age/sex of the child it’s for. Hospital staff are grateful for donation of toys and games (not clothes), but kindly request
- No dressing up stuff of pirates or military action personnel
- No military toys of any description
- No sharp implements
- No DVD/ Computer games over 18 years certificate
- No walkie talkies