'I want it to be special for them' as Derry men organise toy drive for Altnagelvin hospital

A pair of Derry men have arranged a toy drive for the children in Altnagelvin hospital over the Christmas period.

Darren Mellon and Dr Aidan Campbell will hope to ‘bring some joy and happiness to the kids that will unfortunately have to spend time in the hospital over the Christmas period’.

Mr Mellon said: “I have had my own kids in the hospital over the Christmas period, and I know it can feel unpleasant.

“Also Altnagelvin’s Ward Six and the Butterfly Lodge looked after my niece, Rhiannon Bates. She passed away when she was 13, and she lived nearly half her life in Ward Six.

“So the idea is to make the few days that they are in there slightly easier for them and a wee bit more special for them.

“My idea behind this was to get forty or fifty toys and to get them over to the kids, but if the universe takes over and there is more, then that is fantastic.”

Altnagelvin Hospital’s Ward Six and Butterfly Lodge provide care for children, and while Mr Mellon wants to help bring toys and have enough so that every child spending the period in the hospital can have a toy, he has expanded his drive to families in the local community in need.

While the toy collection is the main aim, it has expanded into an event that he hopes the children will not forget, helping to bring joy in what can be an upsetting situation. 

He said: “I had this vision three months ago, and through one of the doctors at the hospital, I have been able to start this, and I have gone down the right channels through the NHS and the hospital's senior board, as we will be going over to the hospital with 10 supercars and old classic cars on Sunday, December 22, where we will park outside the main entrance, where we will be there for an hour and a half, with the presents then being delivered.

“For some of the children who are fit enough to see the cars, they will come down under the supervision of the staff and have that experience, where they can get in and have photos too.

“There will also be a mobile Santa Grotto right outside the hospital; this wasn’t the original idea, but the support for this has helped it grow.”

For those wishing to donate toys for the children, there is one main drop-off point that can be accessed from 9am until 5.30 is local business Discount Tyre Centre, which is located in Springtown Business Park.

However, Mr Mellon is also collecting donations personally for those that are unable to travel to the Discount Tyre Centre, you can contact him privately on Facebook.

He said: “I contacted my job and workplace, cutting back my hours as I will physically be trying to collect every donation.

“I would also hope local businesses could help to reward the parents and staff that are going through this with the children too, with meal vouchers and the like, to help them as they too struggle at this time in the hospital."