Giving the gift of care this Christmas
While many of us will be enjoying time with family and friends on Christmas Day, more than 1,100 dedicated colleagues across more than 65 teams will be hard at work making sure care doesn’t stop for the festive season. From adult social care and community teams to hospital wards, urgent and emergency care, surgery, laboratories, electricians, tech support and more – their commitment ensures people receive the help they need, whatever the day.
This year, we’re inviting our communities to join us in saying thank you. Through our Giving the Gift of Care campaign, you can share a message of support for those working on Christmas Day. Your words will be passed on to our teams to remind them how much they are valued.
It’s easy to take part, just visit our social media channels and add your message of thanks or drop us a line at tsdft.communicationsteam@nhs.net
Share your appreciation for the incredible range of services that keep people safe and cared for – from frontline clinicians to behind-the-scenes teams who keep everything running smoothly.
Every message matters. Together, let’s show the people giving the gift of care that their dedication makes a difference.
Christmas Cake Bake sales for our Charity Christmas Appeal
Our colleagues swapped stethoscopes for sprinkles to whip up some tasty festive cakes and bakes to raise money for our Charity Christmas Appeal.
Baked goodies included chocolate brownies and blondies, apple and ginger crumble, gingerbread cake and an array of cupcakes which were made by colleagues in our charity, communications, chaplaincy, estates and facilities management and emergency preparedness resilience and response teams. Head Chef Giles Hensser also rallied South Devon College’s Aspire Students to take part in the bake.
Thankfully there were no soggy bottoms, only beaming smiles and echoes of yummy being heard by people who tasted the festive bakes. Nearly £200 was raised and all proceeds will go towards making Christmas a little brighter for patients and staff through our Charity Christmas Appeal.
Torbay and South Devon NHS Charity Christmas Appeal: bringing comfort and joy
This Christmas, our Torbay and South Devon NHS Charity is on a mission to make the festive season brighter for those who need it most. Every year, hundreds of patients spend Christmas Day in hospital—away from family, friends, and the familiar warmth of home. For many, it can be a lonely and difficult time.
Our Christmas Appeal ensures that every patient waking up in a hospital bed on Christmas morning receives a thoughtful gift—a simple gesture that brings comfort, joy, and a sense of connection. As Chief Nurse Nicola McMinn explains, “A gift, no matter how small, lifts spirits and reminds patients that their community is thinking of them.”
Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the charity has already transformed children’s wards into vibrant spaces, provided dual scalp coolers to ease chemotherapy, and created restorative gardens for coronary care patients. This year, we’re inviting you to help spread festive cheer even further.
By donating instead of buying gifts, you’ll help us ensure every patient receives something appropriate and meaningful, while supporting infection prevention and reducing waste. Every £10 helps deliver a gift to someone spending Christmas in hospital.
Your kindness also extends to the incredible NHS staff working on Christmas Day. A small token of thanks will show our appreciation for their dedication to keeping services running during the holidays.
Together, we can bring a little Christmas magic to every hospital bed and every colleague working to make things better.
Donate today and help us create healthy futures filled with hope and connection.