Patients and staff were treated to a visit from Santa as the Christmas lights were switched on at Inverclyde Royal Hospital’s Rainbow Garden.
The garden at the hospital’s Larkfield Unit was given a festive makeover with trees, flowerbeds and benches decorated with lights and tinsel.
Former patient Patrick Collins, 63, from Port Glasgow, took on the role of Santa for the second year in a row and handed out selection boxes to patients’ children and grandchildren.
Charity Compassionate Inverclyde also provided entertainment with a choir singing Christmas songs accompanied by a ukulele band.
The Rainbow Garden is maintained by a team of volunteers led by occupational therapist Sandra Forbes.
Due to the colder weather, the event was held largely indoors with patients and staff gathering at the windows of their wards to see the garden being lit up.
The main tree in the garden was donated by Cardwell Garden Centre in Gourock, and NHS endowment funding was previously used to pay for colourful festoon lighting.
Decorations have also been hung inside rooms and corridors in the unit.
The lights were switched on by patient Fiona MacLean who has praised the care she received at the Larkfield Unit.
NHSGGC Occupational Therapist and Rainbow Garden co-ordinator Sandra Forbes said: “We were delighted to get the festive period underway by lighting up the Rainbow Garden, giving patients, staff and visitors a space to enjoy from the warmth of the Larkfield Unit.
“We try to put the lights and decorations up as early as possible so that people can enjoy the scene for as long as possible.
“Compassionate Inverclyde’s choir and ukulele band provided excellent entertainment and we’re so grateful to everyone who made the event a success.
“And of course to our former patient Patrick, who recovered from a stroke last year in the Unit, for donning the Santa suit and making everyone smile.”
Alison Bunce, Compassionate Inverclyde CEO, said: “It was a real pleasure to have been asked to attend and perform at this Christmas tree lighting event.
“Everyone enjoyed singing and playing to the patients, visitors and staff.
“It filled our hearts with joy and Christmas cheer.”
