Parents complete walk for neo-natal unit

It took nearly 14 hours but the parents of a premature baby completed a 30-mile sponsored walk between hospitals in Gorleston and Norwich on Saturday, to raise money for neonatal care.

It took nearly 14 hours but the parents of a premature baby completed a 30-mile sponsored walk between hospitals in Gorleston and Norwich on Saturday, to raise money for neonatal care.

Alison Baxter, 22, gave birth to daughter Lily at Gorleston's James Paget University Hospital (JPH), nearly a year ago. Lily was 11 weeks premature and was rushed to the neonatal unit.

To thank staff and raise money for both the JPH and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Miss Baxter organised the sponsored walk, which has raised �1,200.

Lily's father, Neil Reid, and Adam and Kerrie Pimble, whose daughter Layla was premature, also took part.

They followed the Wherrymans Way walk and, nursing blisters, they arrived in Norwich at 10.30pm, having left Gorleston just before 9am.

Student midwife Leigh-Anne Butcher, who helped care for Lily, decided to join the sponsored walk after seeing Miss Baxter in the EDP last month talking about the fundraiser.

“Leigh-Anne saw us in the paper and she saw the picture of me and Lily and remembered us,” said Miss Baxter, from Lowestoft.

“It was really nice that she wanted to do it.”