Leeds Rhinos deliver Christmas joy to kids at Leeds Children's Hospital

Members of their Super League squad brought down bags full of gifts to be handed out to children who are unfortunately facing the holiday period in hospital.

Rhinos make donations every year and Australian second-row Rhyse Martin said: “As a group we all love to come down here.

“The last time I was here it was a great experience - it was my first time and I really loved it, really enjoyed it.

“It was really good to put a smile on the kids’ faces for a short period of time.

“It’s been two years since we’ve been able to come down and give presents and unfortunately we can't get up there today due to Covid restrictions.

“But it’s a great initiative from the club to give to the kids over this period.

“A lot of families are doing it tough and you don’t want to spend your time over the Christmas period in a hospital.

“Hopefully they are all healthy and they can get through this period happy and these gifts might help them as well.”

Martin was joined by Leeds team-mates Bodene Thompson and Jack Broadbent as they handed over the sacks of pressies outside the hospital.

Lisa Beaumont, the therapeutic and specialist play manager at Leeds Children’s Hospital, was delighted to receive them ready to hand on to the kids.

“This means such a lot to the children in hospital and also the staff that work here, too,” she said.

“It’s a relationship that we’ve had for many years and it used to be the highlight of Christmas when we could get these lovely guys in.

“I’m not actually into rugby! But I am into the kindness these guys and the team bring.

“They’d come and chat with our patients and spend time with them, sign autographs and get to know them and we do really miss that.

“However, we’re keen to keep that relationship strong and these gifts today will get to the children in hospital with al of their good wishes.

“We really hope that moving forward in the next year or two we’ll have them back with our children again soon.”

She added: “These gifts that have come in today, and especially the Rhinos mascots, the children will really know where they’ve come from.

“As much as they will be sad to not see them today, we’ll be focusing on the positive that we will see them again one day soon.”