Volunteers hand out hundreds of gifts in hospitals

23 December 2025

Simon Sparkin Grantham

News image — Ben Petts, the manager of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity

BBC A man with short dark hair, brown eyes and a dark beard holding two green and white blankets, wrapped in clear plastic. He is standing in a hospital lobby with men and women carrying boxes behind him. — Ben Petts, the manager of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity

More than 600 gifts will be given out to patients in Lincolnshire's hospitals this Christmas.

Blankets are being donated across 56 wards at Lincoln County, Boston Pilgrim and Grantham and District hospitals.

Handmade Christmas cards with personal messages have also been created by pupils from Spalding High School.

"For some patients it might be the only gift they're going to receive", said Ben Petts, 32, who manages the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity. "I think it's that added extra that we, as a charity, should be providing."

Three women and four men, some wearing Christmas jumpers and hats, others wearing blue polo shirts, stand in a line in front of a stack of brown boxes in a hospital lobby. — Volunteers from Cathodic Protection Co Ltd

Staff from a Grantham-based business, Cathodic Protection Co, have been volunteering for the charity for a number of years. They were on hand to help unpack and organise 1,000 blankets.

"If you're in hospital on Christmas day that maybe isn't the greatest feeling in the world," said Chris Martin, the 43-year-old managing director. "If we can make a small difference, we're happy to do our bit."

Sakina, Maryam, Nyla and Florence, from Spalding High, created 208 personalised cards in a single day.

"We wanted to spread Christmas cheer because no one should be left out at Christmas," Nyla said.

Four girls dressed in dark school uniforms are sitting on the laminate wooden floor of a hospital room with a blue curtain behind them. They are holding hand-made Christmas cards, with more on the floor between them. Two of the girls are wearing headscarves, one has black braided hair and one has light-brown hair tied back. — Sakina, Maryam, Nyla and Florence, from Spalding High School, with their cards

Florence said some of the cards were created using lino-printing, while others were sketched.

Maryam said she hoped the messages would help people have a good Christmas and make them feel wanted.

Sakina said the messaged in one card read: "Have a merry Christmas and I hope you have a happy new year full of comfort and peace."

There was a lot of work to do, but thankfully everyone was plied with hot chocolate, with marshmallows and "squirty" cream.

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