Being in hospital at Christmas can be tough, which is why the ULHT kitchens are already working hard to make sure everyone has a festive dinner and as merry a Christmas as they possibly can.
Many of us are only just starting to think about what we will be serving our loved ones on Christmas day, but preparations have been well underway in the Trust’s kitchens for many weeks.
Team Leader David Nicholls from the kitchens at Grantham and District Hospital said: “Being in hospital at any time of the year can be hard, but especially at Christmas. We hope by putting in this extra effort over the festive period it lets our patients know that we want them to have as merry a Christmas as possible given the circumstances.”
On Christmas day, the Trust is planning to serve 1,300 patients plus staff a roast turkey dinner with all of the trimmings.
Around 186 turkey crowns have been ordered, along with 300kg of sprouts, 310kg of baby carrots, more than 500kg of potatoes, hundreds of pigs in blankets, thousands of stuffing balls, gallons of gravy, hundreds of Christmas puddings and of course gallons of brandy sauce.
Some of the ingredients will also be used to serve staff and patients wanting a festive roast dinner in the hospitals’ restaurants in the days leading up to Christmas.
Team Leader Patricia Hopkins at Lincoln County Hospital kitchens said: “This time of year is really busy for us, but we really do love it. There is a lot of love, care and attention that goes into the baking of the Christmas cakes and all of the other food being prepared for patients and staff this Christmas.”
45 large Christmas cakes have already been baked at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston and have been delivered to each hospital kitchen where they have been covered in marzipan and iced. Each cake is able to serve 60 portions. The gigantic recipe included 85kg of fruit, 35kg of marzipan and 30kg of icing sugar.
Pilgrim Hospital Catering Manager John Spencer added: “Well done to the team at Boston for baking all of the cakes and decorating those for Pilgrim Hospital and also to the kitchens at Lincoln and Grantham for decorating the ones for their staff and patients. It really has been a team effort and the hard work isn’t over yet.”
Hotel Services and Catering Manager Wayne McIntosh added: “Well done to all of our kitchen staff for all of the effort that has gone in so far, and especially on Christmas morning when they sacrifice spending time with their own family to make sure everyone in the hospital is able to have a Christmas dinner.”