Group plans sponsored walk to raise funds for neonatal unit

The walk, which is open to anyone to attend, will be setting off from Cleethorpes Discovery Centre on Sunday June 4 at 3pm. The route will see walkers go to the Meridian Line and back to the centre.

The event is being organised by a group which meets in Grimsby for parents who have twins. Established by Leanne Raynor and Katie Steele it is social support group which meets weekly.

Leanne, mum of 21-month-old twins Willow and Myla, said: “We are organising the walk as the neonatal unit is close to our hearts. We want to help other parents, who like us, have spent time on the newborn intensive care unit with our babies. We spent nearly 10 weeks there so it feels like home.”

Ryan Harper, father of nine-week-old twins Pippa and Harriet, said: “Naively you don’t know what goes on behind the doors until you need the services. The nurses are there throughout. One day, Kirsty, my wife was really poorly so was not able to see the girls so the nurses took photos and printed them out to show her at her bedside. The little things they do mean a lot.”

The group is calling on other parents whose children have been cared for by the unit to get involved and help raise money. Leanne added: “We are calling on people to don purple and help us raise funds for the unit.”

The twins group meets every Wednesday at the Riverside Surestart Centre, Sorrel Road, Grimsby between 11.30am and 1pm. Anyone wanting further information about the group, or the sponsored walk, can call Leanne on 07710 619456.

Money from the event will be donated to The Health Tree Foundation (HTF). This is the working name of the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust charitable funds. Its Little Lives fund gives money to the newborn intensive care unit to help make a difference to local parents and their babies by granting wishes. If you would like to organise your own fundraising event please contact Lauren Alexander on 03033 304514 or lauren.alexander@nhs.net