Sheffield Hospitals Charity wants to say an enormous thank you to the businesses and the residents of Sheffield for their generous support over the Christmas period.

Back in November, the charity launched its Big Christmas Campaign which sought to raise much needed funds to support staff and patients who would be spending Christmas in hospital and away from loved ones.

And thanks to the generosity shown by so many of their corporate supporters, the charity raised thousands of pounds which made a real difference in recent weeks.

On the back of what was a deeply challenging 2020, staff had been working around the clock for months and were faced with additional pressures during a second peak throughout December. Thanks to the generous support of local Sheffield businesses, the charity was able to provide Christmas hampers to staff across all areas of the hospital and care packages to those working on the front line.

And patients who were spending their Christmas in hospital were faced with the reality of being isolated away from loved ones owing to tightened COVID restrictions. With the help of local people and local businesses, the charity was able to provide those patients with personal radios to help cure the boredom, and provide care items such as pyjamas to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

So now, Sheffield Hospitals Charity wants to say thank you to: Armadillo Storage, B Braun, Bhayani Law, City Taxis, CMS Law, DuoCall, East Midlands Railway, First Group, Gripple, Henry Boot, Irwin Mitchell and Pricecheck.

But as 2021 begins with a new lockdown and a further rise in COVID cases, it is still not too late to support Sheffield Hospitals Charity, who will ensure that all money goes directly towards caring for patients and staff across our local hospitals during these difficult times.

If you want to show your support to Sheffield Hospitals Charity’s COVID-19 appeal, you can contact Richard Coteau (the charity’s Fundraising Manager) on [email protected], or you can click here.

Richard Coteau, Fundraising Manager for Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said: "Christmas was undoubtedly different for everyone across Sheffield and South Yorkshire this year, but in that true Yorkshire spirit, everybody made the most of it and came together to support those in need.

"After a really difficult year, we wanted to do something to help make Christmas that little bit easier for those staff members and patients who were spending the festive period in hospital – they really deserved our help. And thanks to the support of our local business partners, we were able to do just that.

"That is why I want to say, on behalf of the whole charity, a huge thank you to all of them for their continued support. It meant the world to us and to staff and patients across the hospitals.

"Of course, COVID continues to affect us all. And so, if you do want to donate or support us, and continue to make a difference it is not too late to do so. But above all, thank you."