WINCHESTER residents showed their appreciation of the NHS by donating thousands of Christmas decorations for the outside of the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
A small team of volunteers put up hundreds of baubles, over 2,000 window stickers, over a dozen wreaths, Christmas trees galore and a giant wreath and swags across the hospital site.
The initiative was organised by Lynn Eathorne-Long in the hospital’s management office and Liz Kavanagh, editor of Winchester Magazine, in response to the hospital being unable to decorate the wards inside as they usually would, due to Covid restrictions.
Liz said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of people across the city. It’s been an avalanche of festive cheer - from the printers who supplied stickers free of charge to individuals, families and local businesses arriving with boxes and boxes of decorations.”
Alex Whitfield, chief executive of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, added: “Christmas can be a difficult time for patients and their loved ones, particularly due to current Covid restrictions, so we are delighted that the local community has come together and supported this campaign to bring a boost of Christmas cheer for patients, staff and visitors. We are also incredibly grateful to those who donated their time to make this happen.”
The decorations will be up across the Romsey Road site from now until January 3
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