FAMILIES of seriously ill children at a Glasgow hospital will soon be able to sleep a little easier, thanks to a generous donation.

McDonald House, at the Royal Hospital for Children, has been able to buy blackout curtains for all 31 of its bedrooms after receiving a cheque for £2000 from intu Braehead.

The charity, which provides living accommodation for families of children being treated at the hospital, needed the blackout curtains so parents and family members could sleep during the day after spending all night by their child’s bedside.

The donation came after intu Braehead were runners-up in their parent company intu’s 2019 Chairman’s Prize.

Helen Craig, house director of Ronald McDonald House, said: “The continued support we have received from intu Braehead and their staff over the past four years has been overwhelming.

“Receiving the donation for being runners-up in the intu Chairman’s Prize will be priceless to families staying with us. When you have a seriously ill child in hospital your whole world is turned upside down. Parents remain at their child’s bedside night and day and only step away when they are exhausted.

“Returning to the House for some rest and private space can often mean trying to sleep during the day.

“Blackout curtains in all of our 31 bedrooms would help create the surroundings where this would be possible.”

The Chairman’s Prize involves all of intu’s shopping and leisure destinations in the UK and each centre is judged on the good work carried out on behalf of local causes.

The winners and runners-up are then given a cash prize to give even more help to charities.

The team at intu Braehead impressed the judges with the volunteer and charity work they had previously carried out for Ronald McDonald House – including staff spending more than 500 hours working in the gardens and carrying out maintenance, plus raising £9000 in donations.

John Strachan, chairman of intu Properties, visited Ronald McDonald House to hand over a cheque and see for himself how staff create a home-away-from-home for mums, dads and family whose children are receiving treatment in the hospital.

Mr Strachan said: “The partnership with Ronald McDonald House shows great commitment and enthusiasm from the intu Braehead team and the work carried out clearly benefits the charity.”

Peter Beagley, intu Braehead centre director, said: “Ronald McDonald House can make a huge difference to families who come from all over Scotland when their child is seriously ill.”