A decade of giving: Lee Poulter’s ongoing support for young patients
For nearly a decade, Lee Poulter, a porter who works at Queen’s Hospital Burton, has been providing Derby & Burton Hospitals charity with toys and gifts for children in hospital.
What started as a small act of kindness has grown into an incredible annual tradition which sees Lee bring gifts for young patients, being cared for in hospitals in Derby and Burton.
A tradition born from love
Lee’s fundraising journey began when his Godson, Bradley, who was battling Cystic Fibrosis and spent time in hospital. One Christmas, when Lee and his wife, Marie, visited Bradley in hospital, they brought him gifts to brighten his stay. However, as they handed over the presents, they noticed other children looking over at them. That moment changed everything.
Determined to bring smiles to all the young patients, Lee and Marie began rallying their local community to donate toys and selection boxes, ensuring that every child on the ward received a small gift at Christmas.
Carrying on a meaningful legacy
Lee and Marie’s Godson, Bradley sadly passed away shortly after at age 17. In his memory, his parents, Richard and Sally, encouraged Lee to share the appeal for donations on Facebook. The response was overwhelming with enough donations to fill an entire car.
Only six months later, Lee’s wife Marie, the original driving force behind the donations, sadly passed away from cancer. Though devastated, Lee remained focused on honouring both Bradley and Marie’s memory by continuing with what they had started. Over the course of nine years, the collection has continued to grow, with more people providing support.
Going the extra mile – literally
Speaking about the support that Lee provides to the charity, Jill Matthews, Chief Officer said, “The effort behind the collection that Lee manages each year is immense. Lee starts planning in the summer, coordinating donations and even driving as far as Newark and Leicester to collect gifts. We are extremely grateful to people like Lee who take time out of their own lives to give something back which benefits our patients. The items that Lee brings to our hospital, for younger patients to enjoy, are greatly appreciated and really do make a difference.”
Speaking about his fundraising, Lee said, “By doing the work we do each year, we know we can bring smiles to children’s faces when they’re in hospital – it really does make it all worthwhile”.
2024: the biggest year yet
2024 was one of Lee’s most successful donation drives yet. In addition to a massive haul of toys for the children’s department, he raised over £1,000 in cash donations, all dedicated to brightening the lives of young patients.
Lee’s efforts also inspired a generous donation from friend, Richard Brown from Derby. As the owner of Filey Bay Caravans, Richard chose to donate a holiday that was added to a ward raffle at the Royal Derby Hospital. The raffle raised money for the children’s department.
The only time Lee had to pause his tradition was during the COVID-19 pandemic, but he quickly picked up where he left off, determined to continue making a difference.
A true community hero
Lee’s dedication goes far beyond his role as a hospital porter – he is a dedicated fundraiser for our charity. His work ensures that children facing a stay in hospital don’t miss out on the magic of Christmas, even during difficult times.
As a charity team, we’d like to extend a huge thank you to Lee for his incredible kindness and unwavering commitment to making a difference.
If you were inspired by Lee’s story, there are many ways you can support our charity. You can:
- Donate a virtual Easter egg to raise money for areas in our hospitals that urgently need support.
- Make a donation to any ward, unit or area.
- Participate in our weekly lottery.
- Take part in one of our organised events.
- Visit our Get Involved page for more ideas.
Every contribution helps us fund initiatives that make a difference to patients and staff being cared for or working in our hospitals.
