Our Patron Coleen Rooney gives viewers an insight into her personal connection with the largest children's hospital in Europe and takes a look at the important work of the staff while sharing the excitement of the build up to Christmas with the children being treated in Alder Hey.

Coleen says: 'Christmas is all about children, and the staff at Alder Hey work particularly hard to make Christmas on the wards an especially memorable one for all its young patients. 

'The hospital is particularly special to me as my little sister Rosie is a regular patient here. It's a place of inspiration and hope, full of Christmas joy all year round.' 

Coleen takes viewers through the doors of the hospital to introduce them to a world full of activity as the patients and staff prepare for Christmas; hosting a nativity play, hanging decorations and wrapping presents.

The Christmas Eve program comes from the Garden of Life at Alder Hey Hospital featuring the moving Light Up A Life Service. Each light is in honour of a child who has passed away at the hospital and is a way of celebrating their lives.

You can watch both of these on ITV Catch up from the links on the front page.

During the festive season when children should be at home with their families, approximately 26,000 young people will visit or spend some time at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.  Some are even faced with the prospect of spending Christmas and New Year on the wards, but with your support we can make sure that this time is made has 'Christmassy' and fun as possible.

With your help we would like to purchase a gift for each child to be delivered to them by Santa on Christmas Day. All you need to do is write a Christmas message with your donation, enabling us to purchase the gift on your behalf.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

-Send a cheque payable to Alder Hey Imagine Appeal

-Telephone credit/debit card payments on 0151 252 5716 or 5726

-Give via the internet not forgetting to leave your Christmas message.

Tony Ross is Imagine Appeal's newest Patron but has been a supporter for many years. Tony Ross trained at the Liverpool School of Art and has worked as a cartoonist, a graphic designer, as the Art Director of an advertising agency, and as Senior Lecturer in Art at Manchester Polytechnic.   

He has illustrated books for many authors, including Roald Dahl, Paula Danziger and Michael Palin, but he also writes and illustrates his own books including the much loved and extremely successful 'Little Princess' series.   

Tony began his loyal support of Alder Hey Children's hospital in 1998 and since then has produced numerous designs for the hospital's exclusive use on Christmas cards and other promotional material for charity appeals. 

In 2000 he created the Little Princess book 'I don't want to go to hospital' and he continues to donate all royalties from the sale of this book to the hospital.   

The annual Jockeys Football Challenge was held at Hertford Racecourse on Sunday 14th October. Every year at the start of the racing season, the jockeys swap their silks for shorts and football boots to raise some money for charity and this year Imagine was chosen. Around £5000 was raised from the event.