A FAMILY fun day has helped raise more than £3,000 for the Special Care Baby Unit at Dorset County Hospital.

The event took place at Wellworthy Sports and Social Club in Wyke Regis, featuring an auction, live music and disco.

Organiser Natasha Wood said the £3,038 raised made her feel ‘ecstatic’. She said: “I was ecstatic because I hadn’t anticipated that much coming through.

“The support I came across was absolutely fantastic. I was over the moon.

Natasha organised the event after her friend, Felicity Ayles, had her son treated in the unit.

William was six weeks early at 2lbs 11oz. Nurses helped look after him and his parents.

Natasha said: “I wanted to get involved because of a friend of mine who used it last year. It was a just cause because they did a lot to help the families as well as the little ones. I wanted to give something back.”

Hundreds of people attended the fun day, which also included stalls, a photobooth studio, a car showcase and face painting.

Natasha said: “Everyone turned around and said what a fantastic time they had, which was good to hear. The day was busy, busy, busy.

“I’d like to thank everyone who helped on the day and who helped with time and donations – as well as those who couldn’t attend the day but donated in another way. There are too many people to name names but they know who they are.”

Neil and Lisa Shimmin both attended the family fun day. Their three-month-old daughter, Mia, is currently being treated in the unit.

Neil said: “We wouldn’t have got through it without their help. The nurses have been really supportive and they have been really helpful both on a professional and an emotional level.”

Plans are in place to build additional family rooms for the unit. Money raised by Natasha will be used to make the rooms feel more homely.

Alison Bryan, senior sister at the Special Care Baby Unit, said: “We are extremely grateful for the effort and fundraising that’s gone into this.

“The money for the building work is coming from the government but the additional items to make it homely for the parents that use it is coming from charitable funds.

“Those areas will be used by parents so they can stay nearer to their babies, in particular when they are getting ready to go home.”