Ladies doing an assault course dressed as babies to raise money for Southampton neonatal unit. Photo by Derek Martin Photography.Ladies doing an assault course dressed as babies to raise money for Southampton neonatal unit. Photo by Derek Martin Photography.
Ladies doing an assault course dressed as babies to raise money for Southampton neonatal unit. Photo by Derek Martin Photography.

Littlehampton women raise more than £5,000 for Southampton Hospital neonatal unit doing assault course challenge

Six women from Littlehampton raised more than £5,000 for a hospital’s neonatal unit by completing an assault course.

They completed the challenge on Saturday, in aid of the unit in Southampton Hospital, which cared for one of their grandchildren.

Sharon Ross, Katrina Turnball, Donna Ashman, Susanne Ross, Carolin Nunn-Hammond, and Natalie Sumner were dressed as babies to tackle the course at Rookery Fit Farm in Bognor Regis.

Their efforts were inspired by Sharon Ross’ grand-daughter, Vienna,

Vienna was born two months premature in May, 2020, with a congenital condition called Gastroschisis, which required surgery.

She was treated at Southampton’s Princess Anne Hospital in the neonatal unit and stayed there for a month until she was well enough to return home.

With an initial aim of raising just £500, the women raised more than ten times their target.

Darcey Wadey, 29, from Littlehampton, is Vienna’s mother. She said: “I didn’t take part in the assault course, it was just my mum and her friends, but they did so well and it went great.

“It looked brutal, but they all managed to complete it.

“They really enjoyed the assault course but they were so tired after and definitely all aching now.

“I felt emotional watching them, but I am so grateful that they were able to give something back.”

Their efforts were inspired by Sharon Ross’ grand-daughter, Vienna,