Welsh Ambulance Service staff to enjoy Christmas lunch thanks to generous donations

Hundreds of Welsh Ambulance Service employees working on Christmas Day will receive a traditional festive lunch thanks to the generosity of hospitality businesses and charitable funds.

Several pubs, hotels and restaurants from across Wales generously agreed to prepare delicious Christmas meals as a gesture of goodwill for those working on December 25.

As with previous years, the Welsh Ambulance Service Charity has funded these Christmas lunches, thanks to donations from the public.

“Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Welsh Ambulance Service Charity in 2024,” said David Hopkins, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Head of Charity.

“Thanks to your generosity, and the kind support of hospitality businesses across Wales, we’re able to provide a small token of appreciation to our staff working on Christmas Day.

“It’s just one of the ways the charity supports WAST staff, volunteers and patients, all-year-round.”

700 members of staff from across more than 80 ambulance stations, clinical contact centres and other environments working a day shift will get to enjoy a lunch, some of which have been provided completely free of charge.

It includes staff in the emergency medical service, non-emergency patient transport service, make ready depots, operational delivery unit and clinical contact centres, including in NHS 111 Wales and on the Trust’s clinical support desk.

Judith Bryce, Assistant Director of Operations, said: “We’ve been organising Christmas lunches for a few years now and they’re always gratefully received.

“As an ambulance service, we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, which means that not everyone will be able to enjoy a Christmas dinner at home with their loved ones.

“This is a small gesture to thank our people on Christmas day, and I hope it demonstrates on behalf of the organisation and our patients how grateful we are to colleagues for the service they provide.”

The Trust will also once again be sending Tesco vouchers to all operational environments including contact centres to enable colleagues to purchase festive treats.