The Countess Charity is encouraging supporters to take part in this year's Chester Business Club Walk as it aims to raise a further £40,000 for its Extra Mile Appeal.

The appeal has raised £160,000 during its first year, funding additional equipment for the Countess of Chester Hospital to support more efficient care and an improved experience for patients.

The six-mile sponsored walk, which starts and finishes at Chester Racecourse, will give participants the opportunity to raise funds for the Extra Mile Appeal.

Now entering its second year, the appeal has set a target of £200,000 and will support the purchase of additional equipment for the Breast Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and hospital wards.

It was launched last year after The Countess Charity asked frontline staff which additional resources would have the greatest impact on patient care.

Angie Lopez, head of fundraising at The Countess Charity, said: "This appeal was inspired by conversations with frontline staff about what would make the biggest difference to their day-to-day work.

"Many told us that having extra equipment available would help them provide even better care for patients."

Since its launch, the appeal has funded an additional ultrasound scanner for theatres, extra ECG machines, extra bladder scanners, and a specialist hearing device for patients unable to use conventional hearing aids.

Funding also supported more mobility equipment for the Emergency Department and a saturation monitor to support patients moving from intensive care to a ward setting.

Angie added: "The NHS provides the equipment our teams need to deliver safe and effective care, but the Extra Mile Appeal allows us to fund additional resources that can be accessed more quickly when needed.

"That means less time spent locating equipment, faster diagnosis and treatment, and more time focused on caring for patients. It also gives teams a real sense of pride in having equipment readily available for those they care for."

Sue Pemberton, deputy chief executive at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The impact of the Extra Mile Appeal is already being felt by both our staff and our patients.

"Thanks to the support of our local community and The Countess Charity, teams across the Trust have quicker access to additional equipment when and where they need it.

"This means less time spent locating or sharing equipment and more time focused on caring for patients."

The charity is now looking to build on the appeal's success by funding a number of new projects requested by frontline staff.

One priority is an additional ultrasound scanner for ICU, which would allow clinicians to access vital imaging equipment more quickly when caring for some of the hospital's most seriously ill patients.

Funds will also support improvements for breast care patients, including replacing seven visual arts therapy screens that help create a calming environment during appointments and treatment.

The appeal will also fund a dedicated ultrasound scanner to increase diagnostic capacity.

Four additional bladder scanners are also planned for wards across the hospital, reducing the need for staff to share scanners.

Participants in this year's Chester Business Club Walk can choose which area they would like their sponsorship to support.

The event is free to enter, with fundraising support available from The Countess Charity, including sponsorship forms and charity T-shirts. You can register here.

Anyone interested in taking part or supporting the Extra Mile Appeal can find out more by contacting the fundraising team on 01244 366240 or emailing [email protected].