A five-strong team representing Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity raised £1,361.50 for its Children’s Appeal by being sponsored to take part in last month’s Great North Run.
All five – Prestonians Andrew Bell, William Thomas, Ben Smithers, Colin Holmes and appeal fundraiser Lucy Clark – completed the 13.1 mile course through Newcastle to South Shields.
And they were not the only ones donning running kit in support of the Children’s Appeal as eight adults and 13 children took part in the SPAR City of Preston 10k and its My First Mile Run respectively to raise more funds.
The team completing the 10k – Paul Brown, Head of Research at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Wayne Furnell, Morgan Beesley, of Clip n Climb, Preston, Robert Craig, mum-of-three Sarah Thompson, whose children ran the My First Mile, and husband and wife duo Imran and Aisha Bangi, who also had three children in the mile event – raised a collective £1,500.
Its two other members, who successfully crossed the finish line, were city mayor Coun Neil Darby and Mayor Consort Dan Leung. Coun Darby chose to support Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity at the start of his year in his office and will present a donation at its end.
Lucy Clark said: “We are very grateful to all our runners for their fantastic support. To run an event takes loads of commitment and effort with lots of pre event training in all weathers.
“We’re humbled by and proud of everyone who undertakes challenges for us. It’s been an amazing year so far in terms of a record number of people putting their bodies on the line for us by running, swimming, cycling and leaping from aeroplanes to help us raise funds.”
The charity team’s Children’s Appeal is aiming to raise £1 million for a variety of items to bring about a raft of improvements to children’s in and outpatients at the Royal Preston Hospital, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, Leyland’s Broadoaks Child Development Centre and other local facilities managed by Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust where children are assessed and treated. To watch a video explaining more about the appeal, become involved or make a donation, go to www.lthcharity.org.uk/childrensappeal