Five members of staff at Heartlands Hospital are swapping uniforms for sports gear as they run for the Hospital’s poorly babies.

The staff, who include four nurses and a consultant, are taking part in the Bupa Great Birmingham Run on the 20 October and hope to raise £3,000 for the Neonatal Unit at the Hospital.

Emma Gould, Sister and runner, said: “Last Christmas we made a pact to complete this run. None of us have ever entered an event like this before, but working and training together and aching together confirms what a great team we make. We’ve been training hard since February and done really well, as this time last year we couldn’t run a mile! We’ll be thinking of the babies and families which will help us get through the pain!

“All the money we raise will go towards purchasing necessary equipment and also towards non-essential items that help to make both parents and their sick baby’s journey at Heartlands that little bit easier. It doesn’t matter how big or small the donation, every penny counts.”

The money will go towards the Trust Charity and its appeal, Newborns in Need, which has raised over £150,000 for the neonatal units at both Good Hope and Heartlands Hospitals. The fund was set up to support the care of premature and sick babies at the Hospitals. Each year, the Hospitals care for over 1,000 babies from the region who need specialist care to keep them alive. Some babies are born four months early and weigh as little as one pound.

If you want to donate to the nurses, show your support by going to www.justgiving.com/teams/neonatalunit