Staff at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust have launched a 'virtual giving tree’ to help vulnerable families this Christmas.

It comes after the Trust - which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals - donated over 1,000 presents to families in the local area last year.

Natalie Styles-Hudson, lead nurse for safeguarding people, said: “We have participated in the 'giving tree' for a number of years now but, unfortunately due to Covid-19, we are unable to accept actual gifts to be dropped off at our hospitals.

"However we are keen to make sure that we do everything we can to support local children in need again.

"This year we have created an Amazon Wish List, where our staff, patients and the public can all order gifts for those children who will receive very little for Christmas.

"These gifts will then be delivered directly to specific charities who then allocate them to their families.

“If you are able to help us by buying an extra gift for a child this year, it would mean so much to those families.

"Examples of gifts are available via our Amazon Wish List and the presents need to remain unwrapped.

“Last year presents were given to children living in absolute poverty including children in refuges, hostels and bed and breakfasts.

"We were also able to expand to the amount of places we gave to, including domestic abuse refuges, children identified by local schools as living in poverty and some young people living in hostels, who would otherwise be homeless.”