A LEISURE club has been raising funds for charity by challenging its members this Halloween.

Seven members from the Whitehouse Hotel, gym in Foregate Street, have travelled the distance of 2,125km throughout October, while remaining stationed at the club. They have rowed, ran and biked the distance from Worcester to Bran Castle, Transylvania, in aid of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

Bob Chambers, 67, Worcester, has been a volunteer at the charity since it was founded in 1990. The charity means the world to Mr Chambers. He told the Worcester News he owes his life to the emergency service. When he was 40 he had an accident on the motorway and was rescued by a West Mercia Police helicopter. As there was no alternative service at the time, this scenario pushed for the creation of the air ambulance service in the Midlands.

Mr Chambers said: “I was unconscious for five and a half weeks. My injuries were terrible. Both my legs were broken. My spine was fractured in two different places. Six ribs were fractured, and it also caused a brain injury.

“The services did a brilliant job. If they hadn't been there so quickly and rescued me, I wouldn’t be here now.”

Gym members joined in with a baby photo competition where everyone brought in a photograph of themself and guessed who was in the images.

Gillian McCabe, from the Whitehouse leisure club said: “It was £1 to enter the competition and the winner who correctly guessed the most won two lottery tickets.

“It was a good turnout, the baby photo competition raised £20. £320 have been raised so far with donations still coming in.”

Each Midlands Air Ambulance mission costs £2,500 and £9million is needed each year to keep its three air ambulances operational. The charity is operated through volunteering and donations from the public and local businesses.

The Whitehouse Hotel invites the public to its charity coffee morning on the last Friday of each month at 9.45am. All the money raised is donated to MacMillan and Wishing On A Star.