Kind-hearted estates staff from the Vale of Leven Hospital took to the hills to provide gifts for patients and staff.

Staff including Jim McColl and Zander MacDonald raised £1,500 by hiking up Ben Lomond recently. The money has been used to treat patients being looked after in the hospital's acute medical receiving unit (AMRU) to equipment including 12 portable DVD players and some old classic films.

Katy McCallion, senior charge nurse on AMRU said: "We were just blown away by their generosity. Many of our patients have dementia and they enjoy watching old classic films. It aids their memory and many find it comforting.

"Thanks to the estates’ donation we have been able to buy lots of films which the patients will love.

"We also got some radios, to allow them to listen to shows and podcasts."

Staff on the ward were also treated to a coffee maker and pods, as well as a new kettle and toaster to use on their well-earned breaks.

Fundraiser Zander MacDonald said: "Initially we discussed doing a sponsored hill walk as the pandemic has proven a very stressful time for all NHS staff both inside and outside of work.

"We initially had thoughts of planning a Covid-safe day out for the guys away from the stress of work and out in the sunny open air.

"Then, a member of our squad, David Green, had recently heard the experience of his brother whilst in the care of the AMRU staff in which he praised the staff, stating they were amazing, especially in the harsh Covid situation at the time, and suggested that we could make it a fundraising event.

"It was a real team effort - myself, Jim McColl, David Moore, Robert McGonagle, Derek Wark and Lorna McCallum and the rest of the workshop staff raised as much sponsor money as they could.

"With a wide range of shapes, sizes and ages in the workshop (age 21-67), the seven-mile trek up Scotland's most southerly Munro proved a very exhausting experience, however, we made it up and down the hill in one piece!

"We are so glad that our hard work has paid off creating a more comfortable environment for patients and even more importantly rewarding the amazing praiseworthy staff at AMRU."