Walsall Healthcare has launched its pre-Christmas appeal to help young patients on the road to recovery, led by its Well Wishers charity.

The appeal is asking for donations of craft materials – such as colouring books, glitter, ribbons, paper, card and pens – so that patients can get creative during their hospital stay.

Georgie Westley, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s Fundraising and Membership Manager, said: “Our children’s ward, paediatric assessment unit and paediatric patients in the Emergency Department are always in need of pens and colouring books too as these are really popular. So we thought it would be a nice idea to re-run our “Crafty Christmas” appeal to encourage businesses or individuals to provide these materials.”

Paediatric and Neonatal Matron, Charlotte Yale, said “No one wants to be in hospital at this time of year, especially children and young people. To have some fun activities to do whilst on the ward during Christmas and throughout the year, on PAU or waiting in Outpatients or ED will be amazing for our young patients! Please get behind our Crafty Christmas appeal – help to make things a little more sparkly this Christmas!”

To donate items for a “Crafty Christmas” please pop along to the Purple Hub in the outpatients corridor of Walsall Manor Hospital on route 003. The hub is open Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm. If you have a large amount of items to donate, a collection can be arranged – contact Georgie Westley on 01922 656643.