Kind-hearted Peterborough nurses handed over presents to lonely, elderly people on Christmas Day

The kind-hearted staff from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), including Deb Ryan, decided to donate them to patients who they treated over Christmas who were on their own.

Emma Williamson, area nursing manager for CPFT, which provides physical health services for older people and those with long-term conditions as well as mental health services, said: “The team, which is made up of clinical and support staff, came up with the idea at the start of December.

“It was organised by senior administrators Becky Dix and Jade Ward, and in the end they collected just under 100 presents. And in the days leading up to Christmas Day – and on Christmas Day itself – whenever one of our community nurses visited an older person at their home to provide them with some treatment, and if the patient was on their own, they were given one of the presents.

“Patients were extremely humbled and thankful – and I’m really proud of all the staff for coming up with such a lovely idea.”

The trust’s Peterborough community nurses, who are based at the City Care Centre, Thorpe Road, and the Botolph Bridge Health Centre, Sugar Way, provide support for thousands of older people as well as those with long-term conditions such as heart or respiratory conditions who do not need to be in hospital but still require medical help.

Emma said: “Being a community nurse is so rewarding. We treat and provide support for people in their own home. But we also recognise that in some circumstances we are often the only person some older people may see that day.

“We hope that the gifts will have given the patients we visited an extra lift this Christmas and show them how much we care.”

Pictured above is Deb Ryan with Sylvia while Maureen (pink top) and Doris (purple) also received their gifts over Christmas