Two friends have helped raise money to help offer wellbeing support to a health team at the centre of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lily Bingham and Lucy Johnson both took on a running challenge to help collect funds for the critical care unit at the University Hospital of North Tees.
The two ran a total of 120 miles in the space of a month, raising £660 for the unit to be used for staff support initiatives.
Lily’s mother Sarah is a midwife at the hospital and her uncle Tom is a manager in the critical care service.
She said: “I have members of my family who work there. I know from them just how challenging the situation has been for more than a year now.
“I have seen the effects of this. We wanted to do something to help staff unwind and have a break after everything they have done.
“The challenge was tough for us both – we play lot of netball but we have never run like this before! It was really hard but very much worth it as a ‘thank you’ to our amazing NHS staff.”
Tom Bingham is a specialist services clinical manager. He said: “Lily knows the pressures we have been under and wanted to do something to help us.
“The money will be used to organise something to allow the staff to unwind at the appropriate time.
“The wellbeing of everyone in the organisation has never been more in focus and more important.
“Thank you to Lily and to Lucy as well as to everyone who donated funds to them. We really appreciate it.”