Edinburgh Schools Urged to Spread Charity’s Festive Cheer

SCHOOLS in Edinburgh are being offered the chance to help create a ‘living’ advent calendar for children in hospital so they don’t miss out on the magic of Christmas.

The Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity’s (ECHC) ‘Big Christmas Door Appeal’ will see a different door in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) open each day from the 1st-24th December, with special surprise behind each one.

With visits from the Scottish Ballet in their Cinderella costumes and from Hearts and Hibs football teams, the charity is ensuring children undergoing treatment have a smile on their face this Christmas.

This charity is urging schools in Edinburgh to get involved by decorating classroom doors to create a magical Christmas wonderland and fundraise.

Schools can then take photos of the artistically styled doors and share across social channels using the #bigschristmasdoor.

Sue Diamond, Community Fundraising Manager at ECHC, said: “It’s a wonderful opportunity to unite the whole school in something creative and fun over the festive period.

“Not only will the children in school being having fun, they’ll be learning that they can make a real difference to other people’s lives in the process.

“In decorating the doors, the schools will be sending out an important and powerful message that children still need creative and fun stimulation while they’re in hospital.

“It’s a lovely, warm gesture from child to child in support of those in who will be receiving treatment in hospital over the Christmas period.

“Christmas is a time for family and joy, and thanks to the support of schools in the local area, we’ll be able to raise vital funds to support and complement the work of the RHSC as well as other children’s healthcare settings across Scotland.”

ECHC believe that nothing should get in the way of being a child and exist to transform the experiences of children and young people in hospital, so they can be a child first and a patient second.

The charity works to make sure that children and young people’s lives are less interrupted by illness. It distributes around £1.5 million per year in support of the work of the RHSC and other children’s healthcare settings across Scotland.

PIC: Rob McDougall