Northern staff spread Christmas cheer at Leeds Children’s Hospital after arriving with two sleighs full of presents
Northern staff visited Leeds Children’s Hospital with two sleighs packed with presents this morning to spread some Christmas cheer.
The group, who were all dressed in Christmas outfits, set off from Leeds station shortly after 10am and travelled through the city centre with a blue-light escort from West Yorkshire Police and British Transport Police, before arriving at the hospital.
They received a warm welcome from the patients and NHS staff, before handing out presents which were donated by dozens of people working in the railway industry and local businesses.
Former England Women international Danika Priim, players from a number of Super League and Championship sides and a group of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service firefighters joined them to meet the children and give out some gifts.
One of the sleighs was named after Daisy Morton, a three-year-old who recently passed away, and her parents visited the hospital to offer a helping hand.
Patrick Cox, programme delivery manager for Northern, has been organising toy runs to the children’s hospital since 2017, after his daughter Caitlin was placed under their care.
“When she was in hospital one Easter someone gave her a £1 Easter egg and it meant the world to her because she knew that people outside the hospital cared,” he said.
“She wanted to then do something for the children’s hospital and it started off with a few bags of gifts and a Nintendo Switch. But since then it’s got bigger and bigger.
“It means everything to the kids. Staff told us they were really excited about it and couldn’t wait.
“We’ve got every kind of toy you can think of, from Xboxes, PlayStations and iPads, to pyjamas, baby clothes, books and toiletries. People have been really generous.”
Patrick organised the event with help from a number of Northern colleagues, including Andrea Lee, Rebekah Robinson, Louise Blundell and Lyndsey Sherwood.
Kerry Peters, regional director for Northern, said: “We’re so proud of Patrick and the team for organising this toy run.
“It was fantastic to see them arrive on their sleighs and put a huge smile on the faces of the children and the NHS staff who work so hard to provide them with the best medical care.”
Police officers and staff at Leeds District Headquarters in Elland Road contributed to more than 200 selection boxes for the event and officers from the Roads Policing Unit and Leeds City Neighbourhood Policing Team lent their support on the day.
Detention Officer Anthony Walker-Senior has children receiving care from the hospital and organised donations on behalf of Dewsbury Moor rugby club where he coaches.
He said: “Christmas is a time for family and particularly for children to enjoy themselves, and we wanted to give something back to make sure that those children spending it in hospital can have the best time possible.
“The staff at Leeds Children’s Hospital do a fantastic job and we hope this year’s donations of gifts will have helped to put a smile on the faces of the children they care for.”
Laura Whelan, head of nursing at Leeds Children’s Hospital, said: "We’re so grateful to Northern and all the other local organisations who come together to organise this amazing event for our patients.
"It has become such a tradition and it seems to grow every year. The donated gifts bring such a boost for our patients and their families who are spending Christmas in hospital.
"Patients who are able to love to come down to see the parade and lots more watch from their windows. It spreads Christmas cheer around the whole hospital. Thank you to everyone involved."
Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.