The aim was to bring everyone together to enjoy the Christmas period to end what has been a challenging year. It’s also part of the hospital’s staff wellbeing plan. On the 1st, each service user was given an advent calendar, along with each staff team, so that they could start the count down together.
As part of the 25 days, each ward had a naughty elf arrive from the North Pole who has been up to daily mischiefs. Service users have also been busy making Nutella Christmas trees, mince pies and Christmas cards for their loved ones.
One particularly creative activity was ‘decorate your door’ competition, with all departments/teams submitting an entry. Service users also got the opportunity to decorate their doors as well. The results have been incredible (see the photo gallery below). A window display competition is another activity that is planned in the coming days.
Click on the images to enlarge.
With our staff not able to have a Christmas party this year the management team arranged two parties, to cover both ward teams, with a ‘glitz and glam’ theme to celebrate with service users in the main hub area.
Other activities include service users making Christmas t-shirts in preparation for a North Pole breakfast. The central hub area was transformed into ‘Candyland’ and there were breakfasts of pancakes, waffles and crumpets, all with a Christmas theme and a selection of Christmas treats on top. The team were invited to wear their pyjamas for the day, Christmas themed or otherwise.
Future activities includes a Christmas carol concert planned on the 16th (coinciding with Christmas jumper day!). There have been regular practices each week, with one of service user teaching everyone how to ‘sign’ to a Christmas song. There is also a special Christmas lunch planned for everyone to come together in a safe way.
Stephanie Coxon, Hospital Manager, said, “It’s been such a collaboration across all of the teams, from speech and language therapy to catering, to admin to occupational therapy. Everyone has got involved and done their best to make the 25 days of Christmas special for each other. We will certainly need our thinking caps on for January, to keep the energy up!
“We are only 10 days into our 25 days, and I could not be prouder of how everyone has engaged and got involved. The culture at Brunel is certainly a special one, for both the team and our service users.”