Children set to spend Christmas in hospital were treated to a letter from Santa, thanks to two friends.

Weston Mercury: Jon and Jodie delivering letters from Santa to children in hospital.Jon and Jodie delivering letters from Santa to children in hospital. (Image: Archant)

Jonathan Days, from Draycott, and Jodie Scott, who lives in Yatton, have been handing out personalised letters from Santa to children in hospitals across the country.

Jon owns Santa Letter Direct, which he set up almost six years ago.

It is now one of the largest Santa Letter companies in the country, selling more than 100,000 personalised letters each year.

The business team comprises Jon – the founder and director – and his childhood friend Jodie Scott, from Yatton.

Weston Mercury: The team behind Santa Letter at Bristol Children's Hospital.The team behind Santa Letter at Bristol Children's Hospital. (Image: Archant)

Jodie, head of sales and marketing for the company, said: “This year we wanted to give something back to the market and decided to do a Santa Letter donation providing free Santa Letters to children and babies who would be spending Christmas in a hospital bed this year.

“This is something we hope to continue year on year with the same hospitals and any others that wish to be involved next year.”

Jon and Jodie dressed as elves and handed out letters to thousands of sick children at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.

The friends also donated letters to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, Royal Manchester, Sheffield and Birmingham children’s hospitals, Oxford University Hospital and Royal Gwent Hospital.

Jodie said: “We wanted to generate some positive publicity for the hospitals.

“There seems to be so much negativity flying around these days and we thought this would brighten up and bring a few smiles to people by doing something lovely for the children and their parents this Christmas.”

Santa Letter Direct guarantees a personalised reply for children.

Jon and Jodie also sell personalised children’s books through their website.

Jodie said: “There are two of us within the business and we have known each other from nursery.

“Our business was created with my director, Jon, building the business from home after ordering a Santa Letter for his little girl.

“Upon receiving it, he believed he could do something better and went on to become one of the largest online retailers of personalised letters from Father Christmas.”