Players from Championship side Hull City delivered a sprinkling of Christmas cheer to the children’s ward at Hull Royal Infirmary ahead of the big day.
Club captain Lewie Coyle, Kasey Palmer and John Egan took time out of their preparations for a busy period on the pitch by joining club staff to give out presents to youngsters of all ages.
An important part of the club’s community work, the trio of experienced players handed out gifts to children spending the festive season in hospital.
“It’s brilliant,” Irish defender John Egan told Hull Live. “Since I’ve come to the club, I’ve seen the club do a lot off the pitch in terms of community stuff and the big work that goes in behind the scenes. It’s been a pleasure for me to see that this is a club that does so much for its fans and the community. I can’t speak highly enough of the people behind the scenes who do all this work. To try and put a smile on a kid’s face for 10 minutes, it’s a really, really good thing to do.”
A father of three, Kasey Palmer, admits spending a little bit of time with the youngsters and their parents at such a difficult time can leave a lasting impression, and raise their spirits.
“You can see the kids when you walk in, it gives them something different, and they have a tough time being in there. No one wants to be in a hospital, let alone at Christmas. You see how much it means to the kids, and I think that’s the main reason that we’re doing it, and the parents are looking over, and it brightens up their day, and that’s the main thing.
“We’ve only been there for a couple of hours today, but they live long in the memories of the kids and the parents that we’ve actually spent the time with their kid and took the picture and the memory when they grow up. It’s special, of course.”
No stranger to being involved in the club’s raft of community events, Coyle
“I think it is so important that we can reach out into the community and especially in a place like this. A hospital is never a nice place to be; families are going through struggles not just for the kids, but themselves and the families that it impacts.
“If we can do something as simple on our end as coming, taking our time out, and brightening up people’s days, then that’s the way it should be and has to be.”