Professional players from Durham Cricket’s men’s and women’s teams joined the Foundation for their annual Christmas visit to the Great North Children’s Hospital and Freeman Hospital.
Many of the club’s players and coaching staff spent the day meeting children, families and hospital teams, continuing a long-standing partnership between Durham Cricket Foundation and The Great North Children’s Hospital that has grown year on year.
Katie Levick, who was one of the players to visit the RVI, said: “It’s not nice to be in hospital any time of the year but particularly at this time of year so we’ve been handing out gifts, chatting and just trying to give them a bit of something to look forward to.”
The visit – arranged in partnership with Newcastle Hospitals Charity forms part of the Foundation’s ongoing programme delivered at the hospitals twice a week, where the Foundation’s coaching staff support long-term patients across the Bridges School with one-to-one activities designed to encourage movement and learning, spark curiosity and create a sense of achievement during difficult times.
Durham Cricket Foundation prepared personalised gifts as a thoughtful gesture for the children and their family members who are already engaging in weekly activities with the Foundation’s programme.
Alex Lees said: “It’s a very humbling experience – to come and have a conversation with the children and some of the parents for 15-20 minutes, to, hopefully, put a smile on their faces, is rewarding for us.”
The Foundation continues to deliver weekly sessions at the hospital for patients throughout the year, with the project entering its sixth year in 2026.