Gillingham Football Club helped to put smiles on the faces of children and young people who are being cared for by our staff in the run up to Christmas.
A number of the first-team players, Head Coach Stephen Clemence, and his assistant Robbie Stockdale, handed out teddy bears and goodies and spoke to young patients and their parents and carers when they visited the children’s wards Dolphin and Penguin on Tuesday (19 December 2023). Club mascots Tommy and Tammy also made an appearance and posed for several photographs.
The club have been regular visitors to the children’s ward at Christmas since 1995.
Vidya Pundit-Dermody, Head of Nursing for Children’s Services, said: “I’d like to say a very big thank you to the Gillingham Football Club players, and the coaches and club’s mascots, for visiting the children’s wards. Christmas is about giving and spending time with loved ones and some of our young patients haven’t got that opportunity at the minute because they are in hospital during the festive period.
“The players’ visit certainly helped to raise some spirits, give a bit of Christmas cheer and put some smiles on faces.”
Head Coach Stephen Clemence added: “We were only too happy to attend the hospital and speak to the parents and children on the various wards.
“The doctors and nurses at the hospital deserve an awful lot of credit and we hope the majority of children that are currently receiving treatment are back home soon.”
An online gift wishlist has been set up by The Medway Hospital Charity on Amazon for people who would like to buy a gift for adults or children in hospital this Christmas. Gifts purchased will be delivered directly to the hospital and delivered to patients during the Christmas period.
If people don’t have an Amazon account and would like to buy a gift, they can buy Christmas activity packs, colouring pens, word searches, board games and playing cards and drop them off at the volunteer desk in the hospital’s main reception.
Alternatively, gifts can be posted to The Medway Hospital Charity, Office 2 ME.153, Main Reception, Medway Maritime Hospital, Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent ME7 5NY.
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