Our Charity has launched their 2025 Give a Gift Appeal so that patients receiving care in hospital, and who aren’t able to go home over the festive period, won’t miss out.

Last year's appeal raised £5,000, enabling the team to provide gifts to inpatients across our sites thanks to the amazing generosity of our colleagues and supporters.

The appeal relies entirely on monetary donations and gift-in-kind contributions, some of which have already started arriving. The support of colleagues will be vital to helping our Charity make Christmas special for every patient. 

Head of Charity and Volunteer Services, Emma Kovaleski, said: “We know that some of our patients may not be lucky enough to have a visitor or receive a gift on Christmas Day, so the Appeal hopes to ensure every inpatient will be given a gift, to hopefully spread some cheer.

“I have no doubt that our colleagues and supporters across our local communities will step up once again to help bring some joy on Christmas Day. A huge thank you from us all for your continued support.”

The Charity has also launched their Letter from Santa campaign to raise additional funds for the appeal, where people are invited to order a personalised letter from Santa costing £5, with 100% of the money raised being donated to the appeal.

You can read more and donate via the Charity’s webpage: Give a Gift - CHFT Charity

How you can supply gifts for your wards

The Charity is encouraging colleagues to organise their own Christmas Give a Gift fundraising activity to help with gifts for each ward. This could be a Christmas sock day, bake sale or Mince Pie Munch. Please let the charity team know about your fundraising in advance so they can offer a helping hand. You can also use existing funds within your wards charitable fund to cover the cost of gifts, please fill out the Funding Request Form on the Charity's intranet page to do this.

A Trust wide ‘Tinsel Tribe’ fundraising day has been arranged for Thursday, 11th December, where staff can get involved by wearing their best festive gear and either bringing a gift to donate, or by donating directly to the appeal. The image below has more information, and the Charity look forward to seeing the celebrations across our sites!

Pictured is Fundraising Coordinator, Katie Stewart, who recently joined the team. Katie said: “My last role was at Invictus Wellbeing, helping to support and improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people across West Yorkshire.

“I’ve spent the last 20 years in education and charity, and as my family and I are patients of CHFT, it’s going to be amazing to give something back to my own hospital Trust, to help enhance patient care and experience.”

Share your Christmas plans with communications

With a little over four weeks until Christmas, the Communications Team want to hear from wards, teams and departments about their plans for the festive period , so we can spread a little Christmas cheer.

Whether it’s festive fundraising, seasonal sing-a-longs, patient parties, Elf on the Shelf or if colleagues have any interesting Christmas stories to share, email communications@cht.nhs.uk and we’ll be in touch.