An "amazing" 81-year-old has raised more than £6,000 for Stevenage's Lister Hospital through her festive raffle.

Ann Meldrum had been a volunteer at Lister for more than 15 years, but has continued her support for the hospital by selling raffle tickets while dressed as an elf in the run up to Christmas.

Ann Meldrum visited staff from Lister Hospital’s play team and East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity to celebrate her fundraising achievements.

Having sourced all the prizes from Stevenage and Hitchin-based businesses, she raised £6,035, with Lister play specialist Stacey Slattery full of praise for her efforts.

"Ann is amazing," she said. 

"We are all blown away by how much she has raised for our children’s wards. We can’t thank her enough.

"The money Ann has raised will help us provide toys, entertainment systems and sensory equipment for children in hospital, and will help us start to renovate the garden so children who are well enough will be able to play outside in the fresh air."

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The amount raised came as a surprise to Ann, also from Stevenage, as she joked that "fundraising keeps me out of mischief".

"I never expected to raise so much," she said. 

"I do this now I’m retired at the grand age of 81-and-a-half. The half is very important. 

"Fundraising keeps me out of mischief and means I get to meet a lot of kind people and make them smile with my costume.

"Thank you to all those who contributed to the raffle and donated prizes.

"I want everyone to know that buying a raffle ticket might seem like a small thing, but this will make a huge difference to the children’s wards at Lister Hospital."

                                                                                                                                      

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In a statement, East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity, added: "Ann and East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity – which supports Lister as well as Hertford County Hospital, New QEII Hospital in Welwyn Garden City and Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood – would like to thank the following companies for kindly donating prizes for the raffle.

"Boots, Cawsburger, Costa Coffee, Currys, Hair & Now, Hobbycraft, Marks and Spencer, Martins Newsagent, Millie’s Pet Salon, River Island, Stone Hairdressing, Smyths Toys, VSE Wines, Wilko and WJ Rowe."