Published on: Friday, 15 December 2017
Last updated: Friday, 15 December 2017
Kind-hearted rail workers and customers will help bring smiles to hundreds of people spending Christmas in hospital by donating gifts to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital’s Send a Smile appeal.
Staff at Norwich station and Greater Anglia customers have collected more than 250 gifts from books to toys to toiletries for the Send a Smile Christmas appeal, which aims to ensure every patient in hospital receives a gift on Christmas Day
The charity drive was organised by Jade Graveling, a member of the customer service team who works at Norwich station.
James Reeve, Area Customer Service Manager, Greater Anglia, said: “We’re very pleased to have collected so many presents at Norwich station. I would like to say a huge thank you to all of our customers and colleagues who have donated a gift, and to Jade for organising the event.”
Jade said: “I had the idea to take part in this since October however the present drive has become very personal to me as my nephew was born prematurely and may have to spend Christmas day in hospital. I hoped that we would be able to collect 50 presents but we have managed to get five times that amount so I am very pleased. We plan to take part again next year and collect even more gifts for patients.”
Louise Cook, Fundraising Manager at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, said: “We’re so grateful for the generous donations we have received from Greater Anglia and their customers this Christmas. We run this campaign each year to ensure that patients spending Christmas Day with us can celebrate, and these fantastic donations are sure to contribute to a magical atmosphere across the hospital on the day."