A HOSPITAL's charity has encouraged fitness fundraisers to support its £1 million appeal.

ELHT&Me,the official charity of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust (ELHT), has organised four different fitness challenges to raise money for its appeal.

The appeal aims to raise funds to invest in new equipment and improve facilities at the trust's five hospitals.

First up is the Rotary Club of Church and Oswaldtwistle’s Walk 4 Your Charity on Sunday, May 13.

The walk starts at 9:30am from Red Rose Court, Clayton-le-Moors and ELHT&Me fundraisers have the choice of a 5km or 10km when registering.

If two wheels rather than two feet is your activity of choice, the Ribble Valley Ride on Saturday, June 23 offers the choice of 25, 60 or 100-mile rides to challenge the fittest fundraisers.

People who don't like like ultra-long distances can compete instead for ELHT&Me in one of the region’s largest and most popular fun runs, the Burnley 10k at Towneley Park on Sunday, July 15.

While if beautiful coastal scenery and wonderful photo opportunities get you excited, ELHT&Me has reserved places on the spectacular eight-mile Morecambe Bay Walk on Saturday, August 18.

ELHT&Me fundraising manager Denise Gee, said: “Four very different fitness challenges means there’s something for everyone.

“And that’s the same with our fundraisers – we have opportunities for them to raise funds for a hospital service of their choice. It could be a cycle ride in aid of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a fun run in aid of cancer services or one of our special charity funds.

“We’re very hopeful they’ll bring together fundraisers from across East Lancashire and further afield to raise money which makes our local hospitals even better places to visit and be treated.”

To register for each event, visit www.elht.nhs.uk/elht-and-me.

The appeal also aims to ‘enhance the patient environment’ at ELHT’s five hospitals – Royal Blackburn and Burnley General Teaching hospitals and community hospitals Accrington Victoria, Clitheroe and Pendle.

The appeal will focus on improvements that are ‘over and above’ normal NHS provision, such as specialised medical equipment and better patient facilities.

This includes defibrillators used at Royal Blackburn and Burnley hospitals to revive patients when they have a cardiac arrest.