Royal Hospital Donnybrook’s Annual Christmas Sale

Easy Gliders Pic: Ross Waldron of NewsFour

Easy Gliders
Pic: Ross Waldron of NewsFour

Saturday 15th November sees The Royal Hospital Donnybrook holding its annual Christmas sale to raise funds for trips and special equipment.

They have been organising them for many years now and the driving force since 1989 has been Gladys Kingston. Her husband Bertie was brought there after a severe stroke and remained until his sad passing earlier this year. Gladys is staying though, she is a part of the fabric of the hospital. She and Brenda Wilkes shoulder the weight of running the Friends of the Royal Hospital and spend the year coordinating the sale.

We spoke to Gladys, who told us that the recession has bitten deep into the take from the last few sales. “We’ve seen a good drop recently but hopefully it will improve this year.” When asked what they plan to spend the money they raise on, she told us about a patient who was brought on a short holiday: “He discovered that he could still play pool, there was a table where he was staying and to his surprise he could still do it, despite being in a big wheelchair. We’re going to try and get a pool table now, little things can make a huge difference to quality of life.”

Another piece of vital equipment they have purchased is a special walking aid called an Easy Glider. Physiotherapy for people learning how to walk again after a stroke usually takes two to hold the person, with the Easy Glider it only takes one. They also got a specially adapted wheelchair which has buttons to allow a man who can’t speak due to a brain injury communicate, and as if all that wasn’t enough they even sent some people to Lourdes this year.

The sale itself is a cut above the rest and many people go for the raffle alone, in which you can win huge hampers of fine food and drink. So please drop by and support this worthy cause, it’s on from 10am-1pm in the Royal Hospital Donnybrook on Saturday 15th November.

By Steve Kingston