An appeal has begun to ensure every patient in Rutland Memorial Hospital will receive a gift- whatever their age or condition- if they are in hospital on Christmas Day.

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust's charity, Raising Health, is asking for financial donations towards their £10,000 target in their first campaign of this nature.

Cathy Ellis, chair of LPT and chair of the Raising Health charity, said: "No-one wants to be in a hospital bed on Christmas Day in a normal year, but with the Covid-19 restrictions on visitors 2020 might be a more difficult time to be an inpatient.

"Some of our inpatients won't get to see a loved one face-to-face throughout their stay.

"We are hoping this Raising a Smile for Christmas campaign will tell our patients – ones with physical or mental health conditions, old, young or in between – how much the public is thinking of them.

"The people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have been very generous this year in thanking our NHS for the work they have been doing. Now we are asking them to think of some of our most vulnerable patients."

Each patient will get a gift package consisting of toiletries, chocolate, sweets, biscuits and a game.

In previous years, LPT has worked with AgeUK Leicestershire and University Hospitals of Leicester to deliver a gift to all over-65s in its wards.

This relied on donations of actual presents, which has been ruled out this year to reduce the risk of transmitting the Covid-19 virus. Now, the trust is being supported by both organisations for this year's appeal to source and wrap the presents.

The presents will go to LPT inpatients at its community hospitals (Coalville, Hinckley, Loughborough, Market Harborough, Melton, Oakham); at Mill Lodge in Enderby (Huntington's disease), at Stewart House in Enderby (severe and enduring mental illness); and in the city at the Bradgate Unit (working age mental health), Beacon Centre (children and adolescent mental health), Bennion Centre (older age general mental health) and the Evington Centre (physical health and dementia), Agnes Unit (Learning Disability), The Willows (severe and enduring mental illness).

To make a donation, go to: www.raisinghealth.org.uk/christmas