Society's sensory gift for young patients 19 / 12 / 2011

YOUNG patients at a Derbyshire hospital will be able to ‘chill' in comfort this winter, with the help of a special festive gift from Leek United.

The Society has an established annual tradition of making charitable donations in lieu of sending out corporate greetings.

This year, £500 has been presented to the children's wards of Derby City General Hospital, where it will be used towards the purchase of sensory play equipment, which helps to stimulate sensory development through light, sound and touch.

Jacqueline Raffle, hospital play specialist, explained: "We have four children's wards within the hospital, all of which become very busy at this time of year.

"The sensory equipment we have is used mainly for special needs children, but it is also enjoyed by older ones who like to use it to chill out in an ambient setting.

"Leek United's generous gift will be extremely useful in helping us to add to the equipment we already have."

The cheque was presented to the hospital by Ben Gronneberg, Leek United's Head of Retail Sales, Insurance and Marketing, together with Julie Williams, Manager of the Society's Derby Branch.

Ben said: "Organisations spend a lot of money every year at Christmas sending out corporate gifts and greetings. At Leek United, we believe that this money is of far greater benefit to the community we serve and we are very happy to be able to make this festive contribution to the hospital."