The children’s wards at Derriford Hospital have received a donation, following a fundraising event held by a local gym.

For the last three years, Russell’s Muay Thai, a family-run gym and boxing training facility, have held a yearly fundraising event to raise money for the Children’s Happy Hospital Fund.

The Fund is a registered charity that aims to make a difference for all young patients who stay or receive treatment at Derriford Hospital, as well as their families and carers.

This year, the gym held a 36 hour boxing spar-a-thon and as a result, raised a whopping £1902.55, beating their previous fundraising totals.

Gareth Russell, Coach and Founder of Russell’s Muay Thai, said: “Being a family-run gym, we have many families attending, and so the children’s wards are very close to all of our hearts.

“Many of our members, both children and adults, stayed at the gym for the entire event. It was a challenge but we did it!”

With the money raised, Russell’s Muay Thai purchased a number of items for the children’s wards, including portable DVD players, Xbox games, pool table accessories, creative arts and crafts, in addition to a range of toys.

Sam Cartwight, Play Service Assistant, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who took part in the fundraising event. These items will definitely bring lots of smiles to our patients, and we are very grateful.”

To find out more about how you can fundraise or make a donation to University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, please visit https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/fundraising