Police donate gifts of joy to young patients

KIND-HEARTED police officers handed out presents to children in hospital.
Jude Allen, seated, and his older brother Oscar meet the PCSOs at QA Hospital Picture: Hampshire ConstabularyJude Allen, seated, and his older brother Oscar meet the PCSOs at QA Hospital Picture: Hampshire Constabulary
Jude Allen, seated, and his older brother Oscar meet the PCSOs at QA Hospital Picture: Hampshire Constabulary

Delighted youngsters grinned as PCs and PCSOs armed with gifts walked into the Starfish ward at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham.

For Jude Allen it was a bit of joy in a tough year for him and his family.

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The six-year-old, of Cowplain, is on the organ donor waiting list for a pancreas, stomach, liver and both small and large intestines.

Jude, who is fed 24 hours a day through an IV into his heart, has never eaten food.

He was admitted to hospital on Monday with an infection.

His mother Kellie, 38, said the family have had just 12 good weeks this year when Jude hasn’t had infections.

‘We spend half our life here, he’s only been back at home five or six weeks,’ she said.

‘In the last year we’ve had 12 good weeks.

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‘From his point of view it’s quite boring in hospital, so when it’s Christmas he was really disappointed when we came in yesterday. He just wants to be back at home.

‘When these guys come in it’s a bit of fun for him.’

The youngster, who has intestinal pseudo-obstruction said hospital was ‘boring’ but said of the visit: ‘It’s good.’

Jude, and his older brother Oscar, nine, were both at QA when officers from St Thomas Neighbourhood policing team came in.

Oscar added: ‘It was nice they took the time.’

It is the fifth year that police have donated gifts they received for the cause from businesses.

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PC Claire Marsh, who led the effort, said: ‘We’ve been doing this for a number of years and it’s very rewarding.

‘It’s nice for the children for us to come here, they like to see a police officer.

‘We’d like to say thank you to the local businesses.’

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