City Lord Mayor's got bags of appeal.

COVENTRY University's staff and students have kick-started their campaign to raise thousands of pounds for the neonatal unit at University Hospital, Walsgrave.

The Lord Mayor, Coun Jack Harrison, whose appeal is supporting the cause, was at the launch to wish them well.

Cash raised by the university will buy equipment for the neonatal unit, which specialises in caring for newborns, and premature babies in need of intensive care.

The university has already planned a wide range of fundraising activities, ranging from cake baking to swimming.

University employee Craig Stokes, 24, of Brinklow, who will be running the Coventry Half Marathon on October 25 to raise money for the appeal said: " It will be a big challenge, but the cause definitely makes it worthwhile."

The Lord Mayor, whose grandson was born six weeks premature, said: "The staff at University Hospital's neonatal facility are wonderful, and anything that we can do to support the work they do will be fantastic."

CAPTION(S):

GOOD CAUSE... Coventry University students (from left) Debbie Syrett, Craig Stokes, Louise Thomas, Sophie Duraj, Chris Neve, Lord Mayor Jack Harrison, Adrian Mason, Amy Turner, Anthony Thompson and Shaena Fowle, at the launch of the charity appeal for the neonatal unit at University Hospital, Walsgrave.