The Town players began their annual Christmas hospital visits this afternoon with members of the squad spending time and handing out presents at St Elizabeth Hospice and Ipswich Hospital.
In the next few days they will also be at EACH (East Anglia's Children's Hospices), Colchester Hospital and West Suffolk Hospital and St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.
Jordan Roberts, Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi were at St Elizabeth Hospice, while Cole Skuse, Dean Gerken and Gwion Edwards (pictured below) visited the children’s wards at Ipswich Hospital.
"It’s a player appearance that you get queues for because we’re only here for a little time but it’s something that should never be turned down because it’s a hugely important thing,” Skuse said.
"Being stuck in hospital over Christmas is tough for anyone at any time so for us to come in and hand out small gifts like we are and to bring a smile to kids' faces for a short period is a huge thing.
"It affects you emotionally. I don’t know if I’m speaking on behalf of all the lads, but for myself when I come here and see kids in their beds with wires and tubes, it’s a real, real tough thing to see.
"I’ve been through it myself with some of my little ones, it’s not nice at all so if we can be here for five or 10 minutes and help the mums and dads and put smiles on the little ones’ faces it’s the least we can do.
"It is very tough, not just for the children but for the parents as well to be stuck in here over Christmas is not nice for anyone, but for us to come in and see the children and keep them happy for a short period is a brilliant thing.”
Skuse, 32, says he can fully empathise with the parents having been in their position in the past with his own children.
"All three of my kids were born prematurely, my wife is diabetic so pregnancy wasn’t as straightforward as it should have been and they all had short spells in hospital in the early stages of their lives and it’s not nice at all,” he said.
The Bristolian says the visits put Town’s current on-field problems into perspective: "Of course, football is secondary when it comes to young children’s health.
"I hope everyone will agree with this, football-wise it’s a hugely disappointing time at the minute, we’re bottom of the league and it’s hugely disappointing for everyone, but when you’re off the football field and you’ve got a family of your own and you see people in situations like this with children that are needing help over Christmas, you really appreciate that football comes second to people’s lives and health.”