Oxford Street Christmas lights are helping give the gift of play to children in hospital this Christmas

Switched on earlier this month to mark the start of the festive season, thousands of brilliant, white stars blanket the sky along London’s Oxford Street, bringing back the magic nostalgia of Christmas.

As we start to buy our Christmas presents, it’s important to remember the children who will be spending Christmas away from home and loved ones. This year, once again, thousands of children will be admitted to hospital across the UK, who are not only poorly but feel anxious and scared. Children in hospital need to have fun, and play creates a much-needed chance to have a sense of normality and control too.

Children’s charity, Starlight, is working with Oxford Street to offer the perfect gift for those looking to do some good this Christmas. For just £10, you can sponsor a star on Oxford Street for Starlight and all the money will go towards making a child’s stay in hospital brighter this Christmas. Every star with ‘Stars for Starlight’ gives the gift of play to children in hospital.

Cathy Gilman, Chief Executive of Starlight, said: “Over 100,000 children across the UK will spend the festive period in hospital, feeling scared and missing out on Christmas celebrations. At Starlight, we know that play has the power to reduce fear and relieve trauma, so we want to make sure children in hospital have the opportunity to play this Christmas.”

Starlight is the UK’s leading charity for play in hospitals and hospices, making sure children have less scary and less traumatic experiences. Find out more and sponsor a star here: https://starsforstarlight.org.uk/