JUST before Christmas last year, a local mother whose young daughter was undergoing hospital treatment in Plymouth started an appeal for money to buy additional decorations for the children’s wards at Derriford Hospital.

The Lions Club of Tavistock pledged money from their Christmas bucket collection and together with Tavistock resident Mia Holman and the girl’s mother Bex Hurle, purchased Christmas trees, baubles and tinsel and then helped decorate the various wards much to the delight of patients and staff.

The superb response from the public to the appeal meant that the Lions collected far more than was required for the decorations. Lions members approached the hospital to find out if there was anything else needed for the wards.

Staff were delighted and made suggestions, so the Lions purchased five fridge freezers and three TV/DVD players were supplied with the support of Adrian Towl of Towls of Tavistock who agreed to supply the equipment at very competitive prices.

The fridge freezers are now in place in five individual cubicles in the Wildgoose ward which are used by long term teenage patients for the storage of their own food. The TV/DVD players are to be installed in Woodcock ward which is used by younger patients.

Hywel Edwards, the community services chairman of the Lions Club, recently visited the ward to present Sue Rodgers, the play service team leader, with donation plaques for affixing to the various units. Sue said that she and all the staff were delighted to receive the equipment which had already been a great hit with the young patients and thanked the Lions, Towls and the people of Tavistock for their generosity and support which was much appreciated.

• Pictured is Hywel Edwards, the community services chairman of the Lions Club, with Sue Rodgers, the play service team leader, from Derriford Hospital.