West Ham United players brought a burst of holiday cheer to East London’s hospitals, uplifting young patients, hardworking staff, and their families.
During the “West Ham United Hospital Visits” event on Thursday afternoon, both the Men’s and Women’s First Teams visited local hospitals, spreading happiness and handing out thoughtful gifts to brighten everyone’s festive season.
Jarrod Bowen, Tomáš Souček, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Shelina Zadorsky, Emma Harries, Viviane Asseyi, and their teammates made their way to Newham Hospital, Queens Hospital, Romford King George Hospital, Ilford, and St Francis Hospice in Romford.
Together, they turned what could have been an ordinary Thursday into a day of joy, laughter, and big smiles for more than 100 children.
West Ham United Spreads Holiday Cheer with Heartwarming Hospital Visits
The players spent their visits chatting and playing games with the kids, snapping selfies, and posing for photos with families and hospital staff.
Each child got a festive goody bag packed with West Ham United gifts, sparking smiles and spreading a little holiday magic throughout the wards.
The impact of the visits was written all over the faces of everyone there. Patients and staff alike were buzzing to see their favourite players in the flesh, a reminder of what the West Ham family is really about.
At a time of year that can be so tough for so many, the players brought a much-needed boost and a whole lot of smiles.
Jarrod Bowen, West Ham United Men’s captain, shared his thoughts on the initiative: “It’s nice to come in and give out presents, most of us here today are parents so when we come to these ones it’s always difficult when you’re seeing kids in hospital over Christmas.
But if we can come in and put a smile on their face for Christmas, we feel like we’ve done wonders for them. It was a good day, good to see the children, hand out the presents and give them a real boost before Christmas.
“I love doing these things, I always speak about this club being one whole family, that shows in different places you come to and this one especially.
A lot of the workers are West Ham fans, so it was nice to see them as well. I love being able to come down to these opportunities and hopefully put a smile on people’s faces.”
Shelina Zadorsky, Women’s vice-captain, added: “It was a really nice day visiting Newham Hospital, seeing the staff who work so hard and all of the patients as well.
It’s really meaningful for us to give back to the community in just a small way, to bring some cheer and hopefully some smiles.
“This time of year is hard for families especially with a family member who is sick, for all the workers and staff here it’s a busy time of year as well, so for us to come in and connect with people in the community, it’s really special.
Being able to see the kids smiling and with a little West Ham gift is the least we can do.”
Catriona Rowland, Head of Wellbeing at Newham Hospital, expressed her gratitude: “Having the players here today was a morale boost because we’re very busy, we know they are busy too but to make that gesture to come and thank all the staff, meet and greet, take photos and have a laugh with our staff, visitors and patients.
It’s just amazing to see the little children in the hospital for Christmas to get to meet their favourite players. Today we had a special moment having the captain [Men’s captain Jarrod Bowen] here, which was amazing.
“I just want to thank West Ham United, the relationship we’ve had with Newham Hospital and Barts Health, since 2016 we’ve been working closely and when they’ve come it’s always been a joyful experience.
It’s moments like this that help everyone’s wellbeing and it’s great just knowing that all the Hammers fans support Newham Hospital and the community.”
West Ham United Spreads Holiday Cheer with Heartwarming Hospital Visits
The afternoon festivities are part of West Ham United’s ongoing commitment to the local community. Through the West Ham United Players Project, players regularly dedicate their time to directly support thousands of people across East London.
Earlier this week, the West Ham United Academy demonstrated their dedication by supporting the Ambition Aspire Achieves Kevin Jenkins OBE Newham Christmas Toy Appeal 2024.
Over two days, Under-18 players visited the donation centre in Newham, assisting with sorting toys and games to ensure every child in the borough receives a present this Christmas.
Ambition Aspire Achieve (AAA), an official charity partner of West Ham United, runs numerous projects and services from their hubs throughout Newham.
Their initiatives focus on supporting children and young people in need, including those with disabilities or additional requirements.
West Ham United’s dedication to community welfare is evident in these heartfelt “West Ham United Hospital Visits” and ongoing charitable efforts.
To learn more about their community projects, visit West Ham United Community Foundation.