Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes made special memories yesterday by visiting patients at Francis House Children’s Hospice in Didsbury.
Francis House supports more than 600 families from across Greater Manchester, providing services such as respite care, home care, sibling support, end-of-life care and emotional and bereavement support.
Fernandes spent the afternoon sharing precious moments with young people and their families at the hospital – putting smiles on their faces during the festive period.
Bruno arrived with a bag full of gifts that he handed out before taking photos and signing autographs, while also spending time with staff learning about how the hospice supports its service users with respite care.
Reflecting on his visit, Bruno said: “It’s a special day, with lots of smiles. The Foundation is one of the most important things we have at the club because we give back to the community.
“If you can give back to the community; if you can even give a smile or anything, it means a lot for people. For me, these days always mean a lot. I come here and see smiles on the faces of the people, but I am the one who goes home with the biggest smile.”
One of the young people at Francis House, Jake, was delighted to meet his footballing hero.
He said: “To see Bruno Fernandes here, it was great. He’s been meeting everyone, having chats, giving gifts and signing people’s memorabilia. He’s fantastic, one of my favourite players, definitely.”
The event follows on from the men’s first-team squad making appearances at two local children’s hospitals and the annual Manchester United Disabled Supporters’ Association Christmas lunch at Old Trafford last week.
See video and images from those visits below.
Manchester United’s women’s team will also visit hospitals across Greater Manchester this week as the club and Foundation continue their efforts to bring joy to those who are facing a tough Christmas period.