Meet the generous hospital staff who bring home comforts to Sunderland Royal patients

Dedicated Sunderland Royal Hospital staff Ashleigh Wright and Cherelle McDonough managed to raise more than £1,000 following a fundraising appeal earlier this year to buy the likes of toiletries, pyjamas and slippers for people admitted to hospital.

The pair came up with the idea to put an emergency box on hospital wards for when people come in to hospital with no belongings.

Ashleigh, a health care assistant, from Thorney Close, said: “A lot of patients who get taken in for emergencies or are elderly and have no family, so sometimes people have no belongings with them.

“We wanted to put an emergency box in place on our ward to provide things for people to wear such a pyjamas, slippers and toiletries to make their stay as comfortable as possible.”

In a bid to raise funds to buy essential items, the pair held a charity event in the Toby Carvery function suite in Barnes, Sunderland, that featured entertainment by a London-based Michael Jackson tribute act called Simply Jackson.

And now Ashleigh and Cherelle have donated hundreds of items to Sunderland Royal Hospital, to the delight of patients.

Ashleigh, who works on Ward 31, said: “All the money raised went on the likes of pyjamas, shampoos and conditioners, body sprays and wash towels.

“Thank you to everyone who came to our charity event on June 15, the money has gone a long way around the wards for older people.

“We are hoping that next year we will bring an even bigger event to raise even more money ready for next winter.

“All for a good cause going towards our patients who needs these during there stay.

“Thank you also to Cherelle McDonough Susan Elstob for helping me with the event, I wouldn’t have been able to do it on my own.

“Thanks also to everyone who helped decorate our room at the Barnes.”