Staff donate gifts to help families in need
The Women’s Network at Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust helped to make Christmas better for families in need this year after donating more than 200 gifts to the charity Leeway.
Members of the staff network organised a toy and gift drive in the run-up to the festive season with collection points across Norfolk and Suffolk.
The final donation was completed just before Christmas, with Director of Nursing, Dawn Collins and receptionist, Debs Ellis seeing off the last car load of gifts from Hellesdon Hospital.
Network co-chair Amy Webb, who co-ordinated the collection, said: “Staff have been incredibly generous in donating amazing gifts to families in need and have shown real Christmas spirit. My thanks also go to Debbie, who collected all the gifts at Hellesdon from all our sites and Donna at Wedgwood, Annie and Jackie at Northgate Hospital, Kelly and Kim at Woodlands and Vicky at Chatterton, who even managed to secure donations from the local radio station, as well as Elliott and Jon who helped with the logistics and everyone else who helped make this a success.”
Leeway is a Norwich-based, independent charity providing support to adults, young people and children who are experiencing domestic abuse in Norfolk and Suffolk.
It operates eight safe houses and people experiencing domestic abuse and their children are welcome to stay as long as necessary to secure a future free from a dangerous partner.
Dawn said: “Many families have an incredibly difficult time over Christmas, and I feel very proud that staff have been so happy to donate to this cause and show how much they care for others.”
NSFT chief nurse Anthony Deery echoed her words, saying: “I am not surprised by how staff have reacted to this appeal with such kindness.”
A spokesperson for Leeway said the charity was very grateful for NSFT’s support, saying: “Donations such as yours make such a huge difference to the lives of the adults, young people and children who we support across Norfolk and Suffolk who experience domestic abuse.”