Every survey of patient care shows that the majority of patients would prefer to be in their own home if at all possible. This is doubly true at Christmas, traditionally a time for family and friends to gather together. So only those patients with the most urgent need for care stay on St Oswald's Inpatient Unit over the festive season. We work hard to make this a happy time for patients and the people they love and need funding to help meet the cost of our high quality services.

With your help we will make the whole Christmas season a happy time for patients and families by concentrating on the little details. For example, on Christmas Day our chefs kick things off with bacon butties and bucks fizz, followed by mince pies round the log fire. Later we serve Christmas lunch with all the trimmings for patients and their families. All of the bedrooms and bays are decked out and gifts from the Hospice are left out on Christmas morning for every patient.