Season › 2015-16 › News

Blues spread Christmas cheer at Alder Hey

Everton's first-team players met patients at Alder Hey Children's Hospital on Tuesday – the first time the full squad has visited the new West Derby facility since it opened earlier this year.

Roberto Martinez and his players handed out a raft of Everton gifts, including cuddly toys, blankets, cushions, colouring sets and jigsaws, and passed on their best wishes to patients and their families, many of whom are set to spend the entire festive period on wards at the hospital.

Blues duo Tony Hibbert and Muhamed Besic, along with Club Ambassador Graeme Sharp then visited Claire House children's hospice in Wirral, while the rest of the squad attended the annual Junior Blues' Christmas Party at Goodison Park.

“When you walk into the new hospital you can see that it is an incredible building," said Blues boss Martinez. "It’s quite special and with the staff and the warmth that you walk into, you can see the incredible job that they do. People are prepared to give their lives to help others through very difficult periods with illness. Alder Hey is a special place in our city. It gives you a sense of perspective in life and a sense of pride because of the fantastic work that’s being done on a daily basis. It’s good to share this Christmas spirit with the fantastic people here."

Alder Hey cares for over 270,000 children each year and has forged strong links with Everton, who also run daily activities at the state-of-the-art hospital through the Club's charity, Everton in the Community.

The new £250million healthcare campus, known as Alder Hey in the Park, is the result of a decade-long project to create a modern, world-class medical facility for the city, with the design inspired by children.

Everton defender Leighton Baines, who was given a private tour of the new-look wards in September and became an official patron of the Alder Hey Children's Charity last month, said: "It's a fantastic facility and even though I've been here a few times now I'm still blown away by what they have achieved. To be able to come here with the rest of the lads today and see so many smiles on the kids' faces is a privilege.

"There's never a nice time for children to be poorly but this is a particularly difficult time for them and their families, so if us being here can just brighten their afternoon for a few hours then it's important we do that.

"As a patron of the hospital's charity I would like to send all the patients, staff and families my best wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."

Tuesday's trip to Alder Hey followed visits by Club ambassadors Graeme Sharp, Graham Stuart and Ian Snodin to three local hospitals on Monday.

The trio dropped in on patients at Woodlands Hospice in Aintree, the children’s wards at Whiston Hospital and the stroke rehabilitation ward at the Royal Liverpool Hospital.

 

---

---

Reader Comments (15)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer

About these ads