Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital welcomed a very special visitor recently when the real Father Christmas flew all the way from Lapland, Finland to switch on the hospital’s Christmas lights and visit patients.
He was joined by Lord Mayor, Carl Austin-Behan who donned an impressive Christmas jumper for the event. Both Father Christmas and the Lord Mayor were assisted by a group of little helpers for the official Christmas countdown and pressing the switch-on button.
After a few Christmas carols, Father Christmas took a tour of the wards of the hospital to spread some Christmas cheer to the hospital’s patients who couldn’t make it for the event in the atrium.
Hospital Director Sue Lunt said: “It was an honour to welcome the real Father Christmas and Lord Mayor to the hospital today to really start the Christmas season in style. Events like these mean so much to our patients and visitors, some of whom have been with us for a while. It really brings some Christmas spirit to our patients and their parents or guardians as we get closer to the big day. The switch-on was fantastic and we can’t thank Father Christmas and the Lord Mayor enough for taking time out of both of their busy schedules to visit our hospital.”
