FUNDRAISERS are urging people to ‘Have a Heart’ – by supporting an appeal for a children’s heart surgery.

Two Linthwaite mums are teaming up for the second year running to give the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund – at Leeds General Infirmary – a £10,000 cash boost.

Tickets have gone on sale for the Second Huddersfield Have A Heart charity ball.

And already people are lining up to support the event – at the Cedar Court Hotel, Ainley Top on May 11 – despite the unit’s threatened closure.

The life-saving Leeds unit is one of several children’s heart surgery centres facing the axe under the ‘Safe and Sustainable’ review, commissioned by The NHS Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts.

The closure would force Yorkshire children to travel 100 miles to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle for life-saving operations.

More than 600,000 people have already signed a petition fighting the proposal.

The decision should have been announced last November but has been delayed after a High Court judge ruled parts of the consultation were flawed.

Health chiefs will now appeal that decision, but that hearing will not take place until March.

Fundraiser Gaynor Bearder – whose son Joel was born with a heart defect and was saved by specialists at LGI – said: “Without the heart unit, we certainly wouldn’t have Joel now, and there are three other children from Joel’s school alone who have also been saved by Leeds.

“You can never say thank you enough for saving your child’s life.

“There is more chance of a child being born with a heart defect than any other defect.

“We need to make sure the heart unit will be there to save them too.”

Gaynor, of Banks Road, has teamed up with her neighbour Vicki Green to organise the charity ball.

Last year, the event raised £9,300 to buy two new pieces of equipment for the children’s intensive care unit.

This year, they are aiming to raise £10,000.

Gaynor added: “Already children are benefiting from the equipment we bought last year.

“It is going to be an amazing night and hopefully we can beat that £10,000 target.”

A charity auction, raffle, four-course meal and live entertainment will be included in the event.

Tickets cost £35 each and are available by calling Gaynor on 07908 008181 or emailing gaynor.bearder@btinternet.com.

Anyone who can donate prizes is also urged to get in touch.