Patients close to tears as children bring presents to Sunderland hospital for Christmas

Emma Olsen makes it her festive mission to bring presents for children at Sunderland Royal Hospital who are poorly in the run up to Christmas.

Now in her sixth year, Emma also paid a visit to the elderly ward for the first time to help bring some festive spirit to the patients.

The 34-year-old mum visited the hospital alongside children from Barnes Junior School including her 10-year-old daughter Ellie Thompson.

Emma said: “It was really lovely but very emotional. I’ve been doing this for six years now but I've never been along to the elderly ward before.

“The children handed out presents and sung carols to the patients and it was just so emotional.

“I was told the nurses behind me actually started to well up, I’m glad I didn’t see them because I would have started crying.

“A lot of the patients had dementia or other underlying conditions but seeing and hearing the children sing was something they thoroughly enjoyed and they were singing along too.”

The annual fundraising effort includes a Halloween party at Grindon Young People’s Centre alongside donations from the Christmas jumper day at Barnes Junior School.

They were able to hand out presents throughout the children’s wards and A&E before heading to the elderly wards at the hospital.

“It was a last minute decision to go along to the wards but it’s something we’re going to keep doing every year,” added Emma.