STAFF from a gym visited children at the hospital bearing Easter eggs yesterday.

Patients from Furness General Hospital’s children’s ward were the lucky recipients of the gifts handed out by DW Fitness First.

The eggs were donated to the gym by its members to hand out to the children’s ward for the fourth year running.

Staff also visited Risedale at Lonsdale and St Georges Nursing Homes to deliver eggs to the residents.

Jen Hale, operations officer for the Barrow gym, said: “It is something that the staff like doing and so do our members.

“It was really nice to go along and put smiles on the children’s faces.

“Easter is something to be celebrated and we always like to do this.

“The members are always so generous with donating the eggs.

“It was lovely to meet the children and the staff at the ward.

“Visiting the care home was really nice as well.

“We are really keen to help the community.

She said the gym was keen to support the children’s ward further by dropping off pyjamas and toys.

Gym staff said they greeted around 10 children in their visit.

One of the them was 12-year-old Bethanie Thorpe, from Urswick, who had been at the ward for the last two weeks in one of a number of visits she has made while suffering with cyclical vomiting syndrome.

Her mum Cathy Thorpe said: “She has been in and out of hospital a lot and it was lovely for the DW staff to come in and give her an Easter egg.

“I had just come to see her.

“It is lovely that there are people who remember there are children in hospital at Easter time.

“We are grateful to the gym staff for paying the visit.

“It has really put a smile on her face.”

DW staff will also be present at the Kick Off 4 Mental Health Easter Egg Hunt at Barrow Park on Monday.

They will be hosting a fitness challenge at the event, which aims to raise money and awareness of mental health issues.