‘Elves’ pave the way for arrival of Santa

Special Christmas decorating elves have been working their magic in a hospital unit to bring festive cheer to its very special patients.

And they even installed extra fairy lights along a special runway built just outside Cork University Hospital’s (CUH) children’s ward to ensure Santa can land his sleigh safely on Christmas Eve.

The eight staff from Hanley’s spent hours decorating the unit’s Millennium garden, along with the wards and corridors.

Marie Watson, clinical nurse manager in CUH’s paediatric department, said it will be a real treat to see the faces of the children when they wake up this morning.

“It is amazing to see the mood change among the children when they see the lights and decorations and it even lifts the spirits of the staff,” she said.

Hanley's are also donating €1 from every Christmas tree sold by them to the children’s unit.

Meanwhile, the Rotary Tree of Remembrance has been installed on Cork’s St Patrick’s St. It gives people the opportunity to remember loved ones by writing a message on yellow ribbons which are then placed on the tree.

Ribbons are free but people can make a donation. Funds go to Marymount Hospice, St Vincent de Paul, and Rotary charities.