Baby appeal wins support from Crewe firm for Merry Mile fundraiser

Hospital officials have won support from a South Cheshire firm as a £100,000 “Lost Little Ones” appeal for a baby bereavement suite at Leighton Hospital gathers pace.

Security firm Alpha Omega, on Lawton Street, has teamed up with the Mid Cheshire Hospitals (MCH) Charity to stage a Merry Mile fundraiser in Queen’s Park, Crewe on November 30 and is urging other businesses to get behind the appeal.

The aim is to create a dedicated suite with kitchen area and outside space in the maternity unit where grief-stricken parents can spend quiet time away from the rest of the labour ward in a non-clinical environment after
suffering the devastating loss of a baby.

Already kind-hearted supporters have raised £14,000 with various sponsored activities in less than a month since the appeal was launched and now Merry Mile organisers hope to put hundreds more in the pot by encouraging families= to run, jog or walk in the park.

It’s just £5 to take part and all adult places will come with a free place for children up to 11.

The Merry Mile starts at 11am and throughout the morning there will be family attractions in the Lakeside Pavilion for anyone who would like to come along and cheer on the participants.

Alpha Omega, which provides security at venues and big events such as the Nantwich Show, will have stewards in attendance and is sponsoring medals, raffle prizes and flyers as well as Santa hats and prizes for the best fancy
dress and Christmas jumpers.

Owner Ken Lawton, 58, a former kickboxing champion, helped raise money for the Christie Charity and British Heart Foundation, with a celebrity boxing night at Nantwich Civic Hall in the spring when he stepped back into the ring to fight for the first time in 25 years.

Nantwich man Mr Lawton said: “Our head office in Crewe is full of people who get together to fundraise for local causes and the mums and dads among them were really keen to support this cause.

“Various whip-rounds have taken place and other efforts are planned such as wearing festive jumpers and putting in cash in the charity pot instead of giving Christmas cards.

“The South Cheshire business community has shown its support towards the hospital down the decades, getting behind big campaigns such as the One in Eleven MRI scanner appeal, and we hope they will pull out all the stops
now.”

MCH Charity Community Fundraiser Carole Salmon said: “We are so pleased to have support from Alpha Omega Securities as our main sponsor for the Merry Mile as we raise money and the profile of this fundraising campaign.

“It’s still early days for the Lost Little Ones appeal and we hope to encourage many more local people, companies and organisations to come on board.”

Already 22 people have signed up for the Merry Mile.

To take part visit Facebook @mchcharity or call the fundraising office at Leighton Hospital on 01270 273248.

For more information on services provided by Alpha Omega Securities visit www.alphaomegauk.com or call 01270 258881.