Crafty idea to help keep young patients in hospital busy

Children at Sunderland Royal Hospital receive colouring books and pens.
Children from left Calvin Caine, six, Kian Clements, four, Lilah Downing, four and Amy Note, six. Back from left Elder Hopkins, Norman Imms, Carole Davison and Elder Palmer. — Children at Sunderland Royal Hospital receive colouring books and pens. Children from left Calvin Caine, six, Kian Clements, four, Lilah Downing, four and Amy Note, six. Back from left Elder Hopkins, Norman Imms, Carole Davison and Elder Palmer.

Norman and Cathy Imms, from Peterlee, have presented activity packs to Sunderland Royal Hospital so that youngsters receiving treatment on its children’s wards will have something to keep them busy while they recover.

Norman, 73, and Cathy, 67, put together colouring in books, pencils and a treat and presented the packs to staff during a visit.

Norman, a retired state registered nurse, said: “We’ve done this a couple of times now and we just think that it’s nice to help the children.

“We hope they will love the colouring books and it gives them something to do when they’re getting better.

“We know young people from Peterlee are among those who are treated by Sunderland Royal.

“It’s something we hope to do for a long time to come.”

Maria Lynn, paediatric ward manager at City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’d like to thank Norman and Cathy for their generous donation.

“They are long standing supporters of our children’s wards and I am sure that the children will really appreciate the colouring books.”

Norman and Cathy were helped in their efforts to deliver the packs by Mormon missionaries Elders Palmer and Hopkins, who work in the Peterlee area.