Players and coaches across our Men’s and Women’s First Team united this week in a show of support for our local hospitals around the Christmas period.
Our players spent time at five hospitals, personally delivering gifts to young patients on the children’s wards.
Molly Bartrip, Eveliina Summanen, Luana Buhler and Araya Dennis visited Whipps Cross Hospital. “It’s important that we show our presence in the community," Molly commented. “It’s about giving back – all we want is for them to have a smile on their face this Christmas, and hopefully we played a small part in that.”
Matilda Vinberg, Lize Kop and Amanda Nilden were joined by women’s head coach Martin Ho at Whittington Hospital in Archway.
Martin said: “It absolutely puts things into perspective, and that is why as a playing group and a staffing group we have come to show our love and support to these families. We have a wonderful job in what we do, and we want to show as a Club and as a team that we are here for these families during a difficult time in their lives.”
Ben Davies, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo Bentancur and Brennan Johnson visited Barnet, while Xavi Simons and Joao Palhinha headed to North Middlesex, the Club’s local hospital, surprising a young Spurs fan who was moved to tears at their arrival.
Ben said: “We’re incredibly lucky to be in the position that we’re in, so it’s important that we try and do what we can to put some smiles on the faces of the families that are currently facing a difficult festive period.”
Joao added: "For me personally it is important as a player to have these appearances, not just for myself but also for my teammates who have joined in other visits this week. It is a special moment for us, and it always puts things into perspective – it is great that the Club is so involved in its community."
And the visits were rounded off with James Maddison, Brandon Austin and Archie Gray dropping by the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.
Madders said: “It’s always nice to have that moment with the kids and their parents, especially at this time of year, and to be able to lift their day.”
The Club sits within one of London’s most deprived areas and has long recognised its responsibility to support vulnerable people in its communities during the Christmas period.
Members of our women’s team recently spent time with residents at a local elderly care home to help combat the onset of loneliness during the Christmas period, while we have also made our traditional delivery of Club-donated items to foodbanks this week.
To continue the spirit of spreading festive cheer to children at hospitals, our mascots Chirpy and Lily visited one of Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Christmas parties this week to spend time with families around the festive period.