Residents in Burnley Pendle and Ribble Valley invited to support ELHT&Me 'Give a Gift' appeal to buy presents for patients in hospital at Christmas

While most people will be tucking into turkey in their own home surrounded by family and loved ones, the patients of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, including Burnley General and Pendle and Clitheroe Community hospitals, will have a different story to tell the night before Christmas. ELHT’s charity ELHT&Me has launched the ‘Give a Gift’ appeal to encourage the community to rally around and bring some seasonal warmth to those who won’t be home this Christmas.

You can do this by picking up a gift tag from one of the many Christmas trees dotted around various East Lancashire locations, including four of the ELHT hospitals main receptions. Each gift tag represents a patient who will be in hospital for Christmas and suggests a present to buy for either a man, woman or child. Denise Gee, Head of Charity at ELHT&Me said: “Give a Gift is all about the patients and I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed or bought a gift so far – it will make a huge difference to making that patient’s Christmas Day a little more special.”

To get involved, you can choose a gift tag from one of the trees, purchase the gift and then drop the gift off at the relevant location (either wrapped or unwrapped) and on the date specified on the tag. Alternatively, you can shop online, select your gift and it will be delivered on your behalf or you can simply give an online donation.