Wards and departments at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) have outdone themselves with their Potato Nativity entries this year.
There were 17 entries to the UHMBT Potato Nativity competition, with winners chosen on each hospital site.
At Westmorland General (WGH) in Kendal, the Bowel Screening Team came top with their Positivity Nativity. Each character of the nativity story held up positive encouragement. These included the Wise Men with “kindness is the one gift you can’t give away, it always comes back,” and baby Jesus sharing “do everything in love.”
Over at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), three entries received a gold certificate - Intensive Care, Library and Knowledge team and Children’s Ward. With entries including music, lights, and props like Joseph holding a book titled Fatherhood for Dummies, it was too difficult to choose one winner. Carnforth Community Clinic has also taken part in the Potato Nativity.
The Potato Nativity has been running for several years at UHMBT, seeing different teams in the hospitals channel their creativity, whilst raising money for local homelessness charities.
Organised by the Health Early Action Team and Chaplaincy Department, the aim has been to bring some fun and joy around Christmas, whilst raising money for local charities. Donations are still coming in, but the money will be going to Lancaster and District Homeless Action Service and Manna House in Kendal.
Bowel Screening said on their win how they really enjoyed the fun of the potato nativity. They also included a Bowel Screening nurse character, with the message “Complete your FIT kit, Bowel Screening saves lives.”
Rev Amy Bland, Site Lead Chaplain at WGH, said: “I’ve loved seeing how the teams have had such fun creating their nativities. They’ve thought about the Christmas story, who’s involved, and how best to represent them out of potatoes. It’s been a joyful competition to be part of.”
Not only were teams from UHMBT taking part; patients from a mental health ward in Kendal, as well as CancerCare in Lancaster, also joined the fun.