News and events

25 Nov 2022

Brighten a poorly child’s Christmas by donating to hospital toy appeal

Dozens of sick and injured children in Surrey and South-West London will be spending Christmas in hospital this year – but you can help make their stay just a little better.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has launched its Christmas toy appeal to bring a little joy to young patients who have cancer, medical conditions, and other illnesses or injuries.

In 2021, some 57 youngsters spent Christmas week on the children’s ward at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Carshalton, and more also stayed at Epsom Hospital. This year will be no different, with many young patients spending days or weeks at a time on one of the wards.

Abby May, Health Play Specialist Apprentice at Epsom Hospital, said: “Despite the efforts of our staff, many children find being in hospital an unsettling and traumatic experience. Christmas can be particularly hard, and we will be doing all we can to make it just a little bit easier for them and their families.”

Emily King, Health Play Specialist at the Queen Mary’s Hospital’s children’s ward, added: “We know it’s an expensive time of year for people and understand many may be feeling the squeeze financially. But if you do have a bit of money to spare we’d be so grateful for a donation to put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas.”

Toy donations can be made at both Epsom and Queen Mary’s hospitals, and must be suitable for children and teenagers aged 0-18 years. They need to be brand new and left unwrapped so staff know what gift they are giving to the children. The teams are grateful for any donations, but are particularly short on baby gifts and teenage gifts.

For Epsom, gifts can be dropped off at Casey Ward or to the Children's Outpatients Clinic. Visitors can find Casey Ward by coming in through the main entrance and following the signs to “Headley Wing”, towards X-Ray, then turning left where there are some stairs with a painted wall of mermaids and fish. If you head up the stairs, it will be straight ahead.

For the outpatients clinic - which cares for young patients with long-term health conditions - please go to L Block (L3) - which is separate from the main building - and look for the signposts to clinic.

At Queen Mary’s the children’s ward is on the second floor of the hospital, which sits behind the main St Helier Hospital. You can drop donations off between 7.30am and 3.30pm – please ask for Emily. If you have any questions, call: 0208 2963 035.

You can also purchase gifts from dedicated Amazon wish lists, which can be found here.

Queen Mary’s staff are also appealing for donations of solar lights and decorations to brighten up the hospital’s sensory garden and make it more magical. These can be donated as above.

Betty Njuguna, Chief Nurse at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Our exceptional staff will do their very best to make Christmas as normal as possible for the brave children on our wards, but they need your help. Please consider making a donation if you are able to, and make one child’s day just a little bit better.”