Gills chairman Paul Scally took his players to visit children in hospital in support of the charity he set up after the death of his son.

The team and manager Justin Edinburgh met poorly youngsters at the Evelina children’s hospital in London and talked to dedicated medical staff, some of whom give up their time to save the lives of children in Sri Lanka.

Mr Scally is the driving force behind the club’s official charity, Take Heart Mercy Mission, which was set up 10 years ago to treat children, mostly with life-threatening heart defects.

A 15-strong team from the specialist hospital spent a week in Sri Lanka performing vital and complex heart surgery on the youngsters, most between the age of one and five.

This year alone they operated on 20 children, 19 of whom survived and across nine missions more than 1,000 children have been seen since the first visit .

The partnership between the football club and Evelina is particularly special to Mr Scally, whose son Elliott died from heart complications when he was just 39 weeks old. The first team squad also had the opportunity to meet prominent heart surgeon Conal Austin, a founder and trustee of the charity.

Mr Scally said: “It’s all very well reading about it, but I felt it was important for them to actually see first hand what our charity is about.

“To see the strength and positive attitude of the children and their parents is very humbling. To see their faces light up and to hear positive feedback after the event makes me very proud.

“We will continue to build links between Gillingham FC, Take Heart Mercy Mission and Evelina London – and I hope fans will join us.”

Mr Edinburgh said: “To be able to put a smile on some faces at this time of year is a privilege to us as a club.

“It was a very humbling afternoon, to witness the strength and positivity of the patients and their families, but incredibly special for the club, especially given the links with the charity.”

Among those they met were Elsie-Rose Nugent, two, from Brompton, who was with her mum Natasha Nugent.

The youngster, who was born with a rare genetic order, has defied medical experts who said she would not live beyond a year.

Elsie-Rose has terminal spinal muscular atrophy which severely affects mobility and causes breathing problems.

Three weeks ago she contracted bronchiolitis and has been in intensive care at the Evelina.

Dad James, a serving soldier, said: “Thankfully, she’s on the mend. And fingers crossed, we shall all be home for Christmas.”