West Ham United players make surprise visits to hospitals across east London

A whole host of Men's First Team and Women’s First Team players each headed to local hospitals on Thursday afternoon including Newham Hospital, Queens Hospital, Romford King George Hospital, Ilford and St Francis Hospice, Romford helping to brighten the days of the children, staff and their families.

Players including Jarrod Bowen, Tomáš Souček, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Shelina Zadorsky, Emma Harries and Viviane Asseyi, were joined by several of their Hammers teammates, as over 100 children in hospitals received visits

The players spent time chatting and playing with the children, whilst also taking lots of selfies and photos with families and staff. In the festive spirit goody bags containing plenty of West Ham gifts were also delivered to patients, which saw plenty of smiles on the children’s faces throughout the wards.

The impact felt by the visits was clear for all to see, with the patients and staff alike enthused to see the Hammers players share festive spirit.

The afternoon epitomised what being a part of the West Ham family is all about, with everyone in attendance delighted to play a small part in bringing some Christmas cheer during what a is often a challenging time of the year for the children, their families and hospital staff.

West Ham United Men’s captain Jarrod Bowen said: “It’s nice to come in and give out presents, most of us here today are parents so when we come to these ones it's always difficult when you're seeing kids in hospital over Christmas.

"But if we can come in and put a smile on their face for Christmas, we feel like we’ve done wonders for them. It was a good day, good to see the children, hand out the presents and give them a real boost before Christmas.

“I love doing these things, I always speak about this club being one whole family, that shows in different places you come to and this one especially.

"A lot of the workers are West Ham fans, so it was nice to see them as well. I love being able to come down to these opportunities and hopefully put a smile on people’s faces.”

West Ham United Women’s vice-captain Shelina Zadorsky said: “It was a really nice day visiting Newham Hospital, seeing the staff who work so hard and all of the patients as well. It’s really meaningful for us to give back to the community in just a small way, to bring some cheer and hopefully some smiles.

“This time of year is hard for families especially with a family member who is sick, for all the workers and staff here it's a busy time of year as well, so for us to come in and connect with people in the community, it's really special. Being able to see the kids smiling and with a little West Ham gift is the least we can do.”

Catriona Rowland, Head of Wellbeing for Newham Hospital said: “Having the players here today was a morale boost because we’re very busy, we know they are busy too but to make that gesture to come and thank all the staff, meet and greet, take photos and have a laugh with our staff, visitors and patients.

"It’s just amazing to see the little children in the hospital for Christmas to get to meet their favourite players. Today we had a special moment having the captain [Men’s captain Jarrod Bowen] here, which was amazing.

“I just want to thank West Ham United, the relationship we’ve had with Newham Hospital and Barts Health, since 2016 we’ve been working closely and when they’ve come it's always been a joyful experience. It’s moments like this that help everyone’s wellbeing and it's great just knowing that all the Hammers fans support Newham Hospital and the community.”

The fun-filled afternoon is a crucial part of the Club’s year-round commitment to the local community, with players regularly giving their time, directly working with thousands of people across east London as part of the West Ham United Players Project.

Earlier this week players from the West Ham United Academy showed their support for Ambition Aspire Achieves Kevin Jenkins OBE Newham Christmas Toy Appeal 2024.

Across two days, players from the clubs’ Under-18 squad visited the donation centre in Newham, supporting the charity's tireless efforts to ensure that no child in the borough goes without a present this Christmas.

The players sorted through donated toys and games at the Appeal’s headquarters, readying them for distribution across the borough in time for Christmas.

Ambition Aspire Achieve (AAA) is an official charity partner of West Ham United and delivers a wide range of projects and services from their two hubs and across local communities in Newham. Their work particularly focuses on and supports children and young people most in need, including those with disabilities or additional needs.

To find out more about West Ham United’s work in the community visit https://www.whufc.com/club/community/foundation