Sheffield gran Ann raises £6,000 as hospital's papergirl

Ann Travis, aged 70, from Rivelin, has pushed her newspaper-stacked trolley round the sprawling hospital site every day for six months.

She can sometimes walk up to seven kilometres a day and can easily rack up more than 10,000 steps on each shift – all measured on her FitBit personal fitness tracker.

“I go round nine departments, four or sometimes five times a day,” said Ann.

“I do enjoy it but it is hard work. But I go to the gym and I do boxercise – so I am quite fit.

“If I wear my FitBit on my arm it doesn’t register because I’m pushing the trolley.

“So I have to wear it round my neck so I know how far I’ve gone.”

Under the scheme – which started in October last year – 20 per cent of the cover price of each paper, including other Johnston Press titles, sold in the hospital donated to the fund.

But – as well as people giving money by buying the papers – many take it upon themselves to donate to the charity direct as well, by putting money in Ann’s little tin.

Ann said: “People are really appreciative of what they do. One man travels 120 miles to come to Northern General and says he thinks it is the best hospital in the country.

“I just think they are amazing – I don’t know how they do it under the circumstances.”

All the money Ann raises goes to the Sheffield Hospitals Charity, which raises money for the Northern General, Hallamshire and Weston Park hospitals.

They are currently aiming to purchase two new birthing pools at a cost of £300,000 each.

They are also hoping to buy two bikes for use with dialysis patients which would require £25,000 a piece to operate.

Ann says she realises that £6,000 is only a tiny portion of the £2.5 million the charity raises every year.

But, she sees her role as an ambassador, not only for The Star, but also for the NHS, an organisation she feels a great affection for.

“I was told once that if you raise awareness the money will follow,” she says.

“You don’t know who might be listening.”

Sheffield Hospitals Charity executive director David Reynolds said: “We are very grateful to Johnston Press for delivering The Star to patients at the Northern General Hospital each day.

“This partnership has raised £6,000 in six months for Sheffield Hospitals Charity, helping to make life even better for local patients.

“Ann has become one of our very best fundraisers!”