THE director of a charity is competing in a 10km run in aid of a deprived hospital in Romania.
Pieter Bezemer, 34, of Peel Close, Heslington, hopes to raise money to continue sending volunteers to the Tarneveni psychiatric hospital in Transylvania. His charity, Volunteers For Mental Health, takes patients from the crowded wards of the hospital to engage them in arts and crafts sessions.
Pieter, who also works as a nurse at York House in Heslington, is preparing to run in the Trafford 10km race in Manchester.
He said: “There are four wards in the hospital, two for the women and two for the men, with about 80 people in each and rows after rows of beds.
“The hour we get with them is the one time they get out of the ward a day.
“Without us going in there, they would not get contact with anyone outside the hospital ward.”
Other directors of the charity are taking part in challenges in a bid to raise £5000. To sponsor Pieter, visit charitygiving.co.uk/pieterbezemer
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