SHOEBOXES are lighting up the faces of elderly hospital patients.

Thornhill House Care Home are committed to combatting residents’ loneliness - and now they have turned their generosity to elderly Barnsley Hospital’s patients.

The care home are putting out a call for shoeboxes to put a smile on the faces of unwell patients who may not get visitors over Christmas.

Shoeboxes can contain anything from toileteries to colouring books and scarves and gloves.

It has been requested that people do not donate chocolate to protect diabetic patients and to avoid melting confectionary.

Shoeboxes should involve a Christmas card and be marked as for a male or female patient.

The deadline to drop shoeboxes of at the care home is December 10.

Last year, the drive saw over 100 shoeboxes donated, brightening the days of residents in eight care homes alongside hospital patients.

This is the fifth year of the appeal, which has also seen the rise of a new venture for the care home - ‘adopt a grandparent’.

The thoughtful initiative encourages primary school aged children to interact with residents and in some cases, form a heartwarming bond.

Christian Whiteley-Mason, manager for Thornhill House Care Home, said: “It takes the stigma away of children being scared of older people.

“One little boy has befriended one of our residents and he’s sent her a present and card.

“This year she went to his school and did the same thing for him.

“The response for the shoeboxes has been absolutely amazing too.

“The residents and community have really gotten behind it.

“It’s really rewarding for the people who have donated the shoeboxes too.

“Last year one lady in our care wrote a letter to another care home, and sent her a present and - she said it was her first Christmas present in five years.

“They’ve befriended each other and keep in touch.”