While many across Essex are celebrating at home, more than 1,100 dedicated NHS staff from the Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) will be working on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Their mission is to ensure patients in inpatient wards and local care homes do not miss out on the festive spirit.
Bringing Festive Joy to Care Homes
At Rawreth Court care home in Rayleigh, healthcare assistant Terry Walsh will be working both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For Terry, the work is a personal calling, inspired by caring for his own grandmother until she passed away in 2015.
"I enjoy making the day as special as possible for those under my care," he said. "Some have little to no family, but that's no reason for them not to share the festivities." His plans include festive activities, Christmas music, and classic TV reruns from the 70s to 90s to spark nostalgia.
Similarly, at Clifton Lodge care home in Westcliff, activity coordinators Sandie Woolford and Adewale Abass are arranging a full Christmas programme for residents living with dementia. In the lead-up to the day, local singers have performed, and on Christmas Day itself, they will open presents, play group games, watch films, and ensure no resident feels alone.
Supporting Mental Health During the Festive Period
The commitment extends to mental health services, where staff are creating celebratory environments for patients. On Galleywood Ward at The Linden Centre in Chelmsford, peer worker Chloe Ramsey and her colleagues have decorated the ward and planned a large Christmas party.
"I have arranged a small stocking for each of the girls, filled with socks, positive posters and a handwritten card," Chloe explained. The party will feature games and karaoke, with Chloe finding deep reward in supporting patients through shared experience and empathy.
At The Lakes mental health unit in Colchester, peer worker Ben Gray will be singing carols and sharing treats with patients. He sees his role as crucial during what can be a difficult time. "We bring support at the darkest time of the year and light a candle of hope," Ben said. "Hope is a lighthouse that guides the way and lifts people during hard times."
A Shared Sense of Responsibility and Family
For these healthcare professionals, working over the holiday is not seen as a sacrifice but as a profound responsibility and an extension of family. Terry Walsh reflects that his work is a tribute to his grandmother, while Ben Gray speaks of staff and patients as his "wider family".
The collective effort of the more than 1,100 EPUT staff working each festive day ensures that the spirit of Christmas—characterised by companionship, joy, and care—reaches some of the community's most vulnerable members, providing essential support and festive cheer.
