Hospital staff panto raises thousands to support patients

Talented nurses, doctors and hospital staff treaded the boards at The Haymarket in Basingstoke earlier this year with their latest production, Nurse Beauty Sleeping on Duty, and their performances have raised almost £10,000 for charity.

Some of the panto cast present the charity with a cheque following their performances

The much-loved annual pantomime sold out both performances, delighting audiences while raising vital funds to support patients and staff across local hospitals.

This year, the production raised an impressive £9,819.50 for Hampshire Hospitals Charity which uses donations from the community for investment in equipment, refurbishment of patient areas, staff wellbeing initiatives and enhancements that go above and beyond standard NHS provision.

Julie Jones, who directs and produces the pantomime each year following a 20-year career at hospitals in Basingstoke and Winchester, said: “It was an amazing show with some wonderful feedback from the audience. Every year I’m blown away by the talent and commitment of the NHS staff which take part. It’s a huge team effort, and I’m so proud to raise money for such an important cause.”

Audience members were equally enthusiastic. One commented: “Wow, wow, wow! It blew our minds. What a fantastic show and what talented people. I just wish we’d seen previous ones.”

Another said: “It was so uplifting. The dancing and singing were amazing and so much work had clearly gone into it. I didn’t want it to end.”

Showing her appreciation for their support, Morgan Hughes, fundraising assistant at Hampshire Hospitals Charity, said: “A huge thank you to everyone who makes this panto happen. It may be enormous fun, but it also takes months of dedication and hard work. We are incredibly grateful to Julie and the whole cast and crew for raising such a fantastic amount to support our hospitals.”

There’s little time to rest though as work has already begun on next year’s pantomime. Julie remains tight-lipped about next year’s production, but she has hinted it could be a magical take on Beauty and the Beast.