Home Page Haverhill News

Generous members and staff at Haverhill Leisure Centre have collected gifts to help cheer up children who will be spending Christmas at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.

Staff at Haverhill Leisure Centre launched their ‘Giving Tree Appeal’ in November to collect Christmas gifts for children.

A Christmas tree, kindly donated by staff, was put up at the centre and visitors were invited to take a tag which indicated the age range and sex of the child they should buy a gift for. More than 40 presents were collected.

James Purkiss, manager of Haverhill Leisure Centre, said: “We would like to thank everyone who gave so generously to our appeal.

“By adding one extra gift on their Christmas shopping list this year, members and staff have helped us to deliver a car boot full of presents to Addenbrooke’s Hospital children’s ward.

"I would also like to say a huge thank you to our staff who contributed and helped collect and deliver the presents.”

Addenbrooke’s therapeutic play manager Christine Baines said: “We are very grateful to Haverhill Leisure Centre for choosing our patients to receive these kind gifts. Nobody wants to be in hospital and for a child at Christmas it can be very hard to be away from home.

“These presents have created a lot of smiles and laughter and we thank staff and members for thinking of the young people who will be on the children’s ward during this festive time.”