Newcastle United players spread Christmas cheer with hospital visits

Players from Newcastle United's men's and women's teams visited hospitals in the city on Wednesday, as part of the club's A Helping Hand at Christmas campaign.

The initiative will see the club and the Newcastle United Foundation work with city partners to complete a series of pledges, including a £150,00 donation to the Newcastle West End Foodbank, opening up the NUCASTLE building as a free, warm safe space for the community and a volunteer scheme that will see staff donating thousands of hours of time.

And after an enforced break in recent years due to the Covid-19 outbreak, this year saw the return of the traditional hospital visits, with United stars heading to Newcastle RVI and the Freeman Hospital to meet poorly children and spend time with staff in what is a difficult period for many NHS workers.

The likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Joelinton and Sven Botman joined Newcastle United Women players like Georgia Gibson, Katie Barker and Kacie Elson to hand out gifts, pose for photographs and chat to patients - many of whom will spend the festive period in hospital or receiving care.

And invited along to capture some of the special moments was club photographer Serena Taylor, who brought nufc.co.uk this gallery. You can watch more about the visits on NUFC TV.