Charity corner - Christmas spirit inspires South Yorkshire fundraising

Generous Owls fans rattled buckets to raise vital funds for St Luke’s Hospice in Whirlow before the Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County game and managed to raise almost £1,500.

St Luke’s Hospice is dedicated to the wellbeing of all terminally ill people in Sheffield and their loved ones.

Corporate fundraising manager Joasia Lesniak, said: “The support of Sheffield Wednesday is vital as we have to raise £5.6 million annually to support the people of Sheffield and their families.”

Every year the charity cares for around 1,400 patients and supports their families and carers – helping about 5,000 people in total. At any one time the hospice is caring for up to 20 patients in their in patient centre.

In another part of the city Sheffield Children’s Hospital was filled with festive elves as staff entered into the Christmas spirit.

The NHS elves turned wards into a spectacular winter wonderland for patients as part of National Elf Service day, organised by The Children’s Hospital Charity. The little NHS helpers delivered mince pies to the wards and judged the best decorated department.

The x-ray team also donned their festive onesies to spread Christmas cheer, outpatients decorated their department with a Christmas land, candy land and winter wonderland and organised a giant pass the parcel game for patients.

The wards went decorating crazy with a Peppa Pig themed winter scene, Narnia winter wardrobe, complete with hanging clothes coloured in by patients, and a Polar Express with tickets for all aboard, wonderful Christmas trees and a Frozen-style grotto. Other departments had all kinds of fundraising fun.

Donna Roberts and Melissa Rimmington are both play specialists from the paediatric critical care unit, and said: “We were very excited about taking part in the day as it’s great for moral and really helps make it more enjoyable for all the families who can find it hard being in hospital over the festive period.”

Help for retired pooches came in the form of Sheffield Retired Greyhound Trust with a Christmas Fayre at its farm at Rotherham Gate Lodge, in Wortley.

Father Christmas and his reindeers made a special guest appearance, with children and dogs receiving a gift in his grotto.

There was also a carol service, stalls selling home-made food and drink, as well as opportunities to buy a range of products from local businesses, with pet food and products, hand painted vintage furniture and crafts all on offer.

Music and a vintage fairground organ entertained guests, with a group from the Beacon Arts Theatre Group also performing a selection of songs. Local businesses also attended the event.

Lynda Cattlin, who runs the Sheffield branch of the Retired Greyhound Trust with her husband, Roy, said: “Every year our Christmas Fayre is a fantastic way for us to raise money and awareness of the Trust and the work we do to find a home for our lovely greyhounds.”

Sheffield young people’s homeless charity Roundabout is aiming to give the ideal Christmas gift by raising vital funds to refurbish number 11 – the property next door to its Highfield emergency hostel for young people aged 16-21.

Leading South Yorkshire dementia charity Lost Chord will celebrate Christmas with a special concert by some of its most popular musicians tomorrow.

Lost Chord is the charity that provides vital interactive musical sessions for people living with dementia in day centres and care homes both across the region and nationally.

Some of its musicians will be playing at the evening Festive Favourites at All saints Church in Laughten-en-le-Morthen, Rotherham, from 7pm with duo Melody Lane, pianists Heidi Rolfe and Tim Short, sopranos Natalie Montakhab and Ella Taylor, the BBC 2010 Chorister of the Year, and the Sheffield High School Choir, accompanied by Heidi Rolfe and conducted by Dr Martin Thiselton.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to hear our Lost Church musicians doing what they do best,” said the charity’s chief executive Helena Muller.

All money raised on the night will be going towards the funding our Lost Chord’s work with Alzheimers Day Centres and memory cafes, ensuring that people in the earlier stages of dementia and still living in the community can retain their independence for as long as possible.