Northern Lights: I hope this festive season is full of laughter and light for you and your loved ones

Festive antics at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital

Today marks the first day of December, and for many, the official start of Christmas. It is also my favourite time of year, so as I don my festive jumper and we all open the first window of our advent calendars this morning, I’d like to take you behind-the-scenes at The Children’s Hospital Charity as we approach our busiest time.

Christmas is a time for giving, and this often extends beyond friends and family to donations to the causes that matter most to you. According to the Charities Aid Foundation, around one in three of us support a charitable cause in December. Indeed, every year, we are overwhelmed by the generosity of the public for Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in our snowflake appeal. The much-loved display was established in 2004 and has now raised more than £1.5m in the last decade alone. Snowflakes light up our sites across the city, from Western Bank where the hospital sits to the Ryegate Children’s Centre and the Becton Centre for Children and Young People.

Thanks to the kindness of our charity partners hosting our decorations, there are also snowflakes on Sheffield City Hall, St John’s Church Owlerton, Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre, the Alhambra Shopping Centre, and the Homes-by-Holmes building in Chesterfield. Their generosity allows us to raise even more our young patients, their families and staff.

John Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer of The Children’s Hospital Charity.

As well as the amazing total we hope to raise, what is most wonderful about the snowflakes are their capacity to bring the community together- we have individuals, families, businesses, community groups, schools, streets and suburbs sponsoring snowflakes this Christmas- all to build a better future for generations yet to come.

Later this month, on Tuesday 13th December, we also have one of my favourite events of the year. Theo’s Glow In The Park is a fun-filled festive 5K that sees participants dress up in Christmas accessories, glow sticks and fancy dress to light up Endcliffe Park in Sheffield.

Since it began five years ago, the event has raised over £135,000 for Sheffield Children’s and so far, more than 400 supporters have signed up to make a difference in the dark (and get a free hot chocolate at the finish line!).

The festive fun will also continue inside Sheffield Children’s throughout this month, with staff going above and beyond to decorate their wards and spaces in their spare time to make the environment as festive as possible.

Work is also well underway organising special visits from famous faces, pantomimes, and sports clubs to create special festive memories for children who will spend Christmas on the wards. Colleagues from across the Trust will also be taking part in our Christmas Jumper Day on Friday, December 16 for a £2 donation and there’s still time to join in if your school or workplace would like to join them!

While there will be lots of festive fun ahead, the money raised has a serious purpose and is set to make a difference for many more years to come. It will help build a new helipad on the roof of the Emergency Department, which might be ready for Christmas 2023.