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On-duty ambulance workers will be served a traditional festive dinner this Christmas Day.

A number of pubs, hotels, and restaurants across Wales have offered to prepare meals for more than 700 members of Welsh Ambulance Service staff as a goodwill gesture on December 25.

The meals have been funded by the Welsh Ambulance Service Charity, thanks to donations from the public.

David Hopkins, head of charity at the Welsh Ambulance Service, thanked everyone who had donated and said: “Thanks to your generosity, and the kind support of hospitality businesses across Wales, we’re able to provide a small token of appreciation to our staff working on Christmas Day.”

Staff from across more than 80 ambulance stations, clinical contact centres and other environments working a day shift will get to enjoy a lunch, some of which have been provided completely free of charge.

It includes staff in the emergency medical service, non-emergency patient transport service, make ready depots, operational delivery unit and clinical contact centres, including in NHS 111 Wales and on the trust’s clinical support desk.

Judith Bryce, assistant director of operations, said: “We’ve been organising Christmas lunches for a few years now and they’re always gratefully received.

“As an ambulance service, we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, which means that not everyone will be able to enjoy a Christmas dinner at home with their loved ones.”

She added: “This is a small gesture to thank our people on Christmas Day, and I hope it demonstrates on behalf of the organisation and our patients how grateful we are to colleagues for the service they provide.”

The Welsh Ambulance Service Trust will also be sending Tesco vouchers to staff so they can buy festive treats.