Donate to support our patients, families and staff this Christmas

Four images of people sit side by side. From left to right are: Emergency Zone Receptionist Margaret who is sat at her desk smiling at the camera; Head Chef Efie, dressed in chef whites; Physio Harry in his white uniform with the hospital in the background; and volunteer Ron dressed in a purple polo shirt standing on the roof terrace of the Brunel building.

Southmead Hospital Charity has launched its Christmas Appeal, calling on people across Bristol and beyond to support our patients, their families and the staff who care for them.  

This Christmas, our Charity is inviting you to walk a day in the shoes of one of our Porters, Neal, and witness the acts of kindness they see every day in their journeys across our hospitals.  

Neal, a Portering Team Lead, said:  

“Working in a hospital teaches you a lot about life. You learn that no matter how hard you work, there is always more to be done; more people to help, more families to celebrate new life with, and comfort through loss. You learn it’s about the journey, not the destination. Most of all, you learn you can be so much stronger when leaning on those around you. 

“That’s what this Christmas Appeal is all about, showing just how many people are involved in one patient’s care and how when we work together with other teams across the hospital that we make the biggest difference to the patients and families we care for every single day.”  

Along the way, you’ll meet Emergency Zone Receptionist Margaret, Biomedical Scientist Megan, Volunteer Ron, and many other staff who make a patient’s treatment possible.  

Thanks to our Pathologists, our Doctors are able to diagnose. A diagnosis means our Pharmacists can choose the right medication. With the right medication, our Healthcare Assistants and our Nurses can care for patients as best they can. 

Thanks to people like David, 15,000 pieces of post are delivered every day. Then there’s Efie and her team in the kitchens, who cook 3,000 nutritious meals a day, keeping patients fed with delicious food. Just as much of the work done in our homes to make Christmas special is unseen, so much of the care that goes into a patient’s stay at Southmead Hospital is behind the scenes. 

Donations to the Appeal will be used where they’re needed most across our hospitals. To find out more or to donate, visit Southmead Hospital Charity’s website.