Meet the group of Leeds women who have paid for the TV of hospital patients in the city for the past four years

A new system brought in to the hospital was starting to charge patients up to £10 a day to access bedside TV units.

Lesley - who had been volunteering in hospitals across the city since her retirement - knew she wanted to do something to support patients on J88 Bexley Wing at Christmas and enable them to watch some festive TV.

She had recently set up the “Chevin socialites” - a new social group for women in Otley to get together and share friendship.

Armed with her idea to help the patients, Lesley returned to the group and asked members if they wanted to raise a small amount of money to cover the costs for the TV in the ward over the Christmas holidays.

However, her idea escalated quickly and many members of the group joined her in setting up tombolas and fundraising activities.

Five years later, the group - currently made up of Lesley, Jane Brown, Teresa Lyon, Edie Bates, Trish Howorth, Linda Bradley, Elaine Shuttleworth and Wendy Burnham - have raised more than £100,000.

The staggering total has helped to pay for the TV for the patients in J88 and J89 of the Bexley Wing for more than four years - lifting a huge burden from the patients on the wards.

Lesley - who said her work as a volunteer and raising money was a 'privilege and a blessing' - also set up 'Hug On a Tray'.

Visiting families and friends to the wards are given free teabags, coffee, milk, biscuits, cups and a tray by the volunteers.

This has become a huge lifeline for thousands of hospital patients since 2016 - many of which don't even realise the backstory of the kindhearted group.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Lesley said she had met some "wonderful people" through her charitable work.

She added: "It has been a blessing.

"I love what I am doing with the rest of the women.

"We laugh and cry with the patients."

The group - supported by Friends of the Leeds Centre for Leukaemia - now donate £26,400 on January 1 every year to cover the costs of the televisions in the two wards for the entire year.

Lesley said: "It is £10 per day per patient to be able to access the TV.

"I think it is unfair.

"Originally we just wanted to pay for four days over Christmas but it has just gone from there."

Lesley said most of the money raised is from tombolas across Leeds set up by the women.

Many of the 'prizes' are donated by Poundland, who Lesley said has been a huge supporter of the group.

She added: "They have been amazing.

"People support us at the tills and we get donations which really helps.

"Some of the donations knock me sideways, it is too much for words. They help so many people.

"We have also been left money by families we have supported, which is so kind."

Lesley said during the Covid pandemic, her group has continued to support patients through goody bags sent in to the hospital.

She told the YEP that it was hard not to be able to hug the patients in person.

However, the group have no plans to stop supporting the Bexley Wing and hope to continue their work for years to come.

Lesley added: "We could never have come this far without the amazing support of our local community."

To learn more about the charity - including a new 2021 Calendar on sale soon - visit: https://www.hugonatray.org/