It would be elf-ish of us not to share our surprise visitors who came to Walsall Manor Hospital to visit our young patients.

This week Santa’s little helpers, Ruby Doo elves, came all the way down from the North Pole to Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust to spread Christmas cheer on our Children’s Ward.

Ruby Doo Events is an established children’s entertainment company that offers a variety of entertainment to suit all ages and occasions.

It visited Walsall Manor Hospital yearly up until the COVID-19 pandemic hit so the elves were thrilled and the Trust’s play specialists delighted when they were given the all clear to come back for Christmas 2022.

The elves visited young patients on the ward and Children’s Outpatients, spreading cheer along the way.

There was lots of singing, dancing, storytelling and bells jingling all the way!

Some of the patients they visited included Inayah (eight months), Xzavien (eight), Della (two) and Nancy (five), all pictured.

Inayah enjoyed the soothing conversation and the sounds of the bells; Xzavien was a brainbox who knew all the answers to the elves’ questions; Della enjoyed watching the elves dance and prance while Nancy knew all the words to the Christmas songs.

The enchanting elves, whose real names are Emily Ruby, Amy James and Melissa Bradley said:

“It’s truly incredible that we get to do this and make someone’s Christmas. No one wants to be in hospital during this time especially little children and we know some festive spirit really means a lot to them as it does to us.”

Fundraising Manager Georgie Westley added: “It was lovely to see the children’s eyes light up when the elves walked in. The smile on their faces is priceless. Thank you very much to Ruby Doo Events for volunteering their time and doing this for us this Christmas, it’s good to have you back and it means so much to us and our patients and their families.”