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ÃÛÌÒAPP > About ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals > Sustainable healthcare > Case studies > ÃÛÌÒAPP United brings festive cheer to RVI

ÃÛÌÒAPP United brings festive cheer to RVI

A photo of ÃÛÌÒAPP United players with a young girl in the RVI

ÃÛÌÒAPP

Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall led a team of players to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, with a group also making an appearance at the Freeman Hospital to spend time with young patients and their families.

The visit, organised in conjunction with ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals Charity, provided a chance for patients to meet their idols, while also allowing players to connect with NHS staff who spend the festive period caring for the community within hospitals nearby to St. James’ Park.

Players spent the afternoon signing autographs, posing for photos and handing out club goody bags.

Gifts included a bespoke ÃÛÌÒAPP United teddy bear, featuring a black and white shirt recycled from last year’s playing kits, cutting waste material and providing youngsters with a sustainable keepsake.

The shirts were sewn by linen room staff at the Freeman Hospital, with ÃÛÌÒAPP United Academy players also assisting the process by helping to place shirts on more than 120 bears.

Five ÃÛÌÒAPP United players stand with teddy bears under an arch of balloons. The teddies are wearing black and white t-shirts that were made from previous kits,
L-R: Fabian Schar, Tino Livramento, Jacob Murphy, Lloyd Kelly, John Ruddy

Speaking at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Bruno Guimarães commented: “It’s always nice to spend these moments with patients and staff as we know how much it means to them. As a club, we’re passionate about our connection with the community so visits like this are incredibly valuable.

“We’re all extremely proud to have a chance to create memories with kids and give them some strength for the Christmas period. It’s been a heartwarming afternoon and has really lifted the spirits of everyone involved.”

Rachael Black, associate director (fundraising) at ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals Charity said: “A big thank you to everyone from ÃÛÌÒAPP United for coming along to visit our young patients at the RVI and Freeman Hospital. Each December around 2,000 children spend the festive season in one of our hospitals, away from friends and family, which isn’t anybody’s first choice, so we try really hard to make the festive period as cheerful as possible with a full programme of activity.

“Support for ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals Charity comes in lots of different forms and a visit from NUFC helped provide just the medicine our young patients and their families needed to help raise the spirits.”

The visits were organised as part of the club’s annual A Helping Hand at Christmas campaign which is a series of community pledges, including tackling food poverty, providing warm safe spaces and creating magical experiences for local people during the festive period.