Emmerdale actress Charlie Hardwick returned to her native North East to reveal plans for an innovative £100million children's hospital for the region.
The 245-bed complex will be one of only 14 dedicated children's hospitals in the country.
Expected to be completed by 2010, the centre will be in the grounds of the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and will feature a 50-seat cinema.
Charli
e said: "I am so proud to launch this campaign and I am so pleased the North East and Cumbria will have access to such a wonderful facility dedicated to the care of sick children and their families."
Sunderland Echo readers are being asked to help choose a name for the centre.
A shortlist of three has been drawn up.
Sunderland-born TV presenter Lauren Laverne is backing The Greenhouse Children's Hospital.
Newcastle-born Donna Air is suggesting Northern Lights Children's Hospital, while the final name of The Great North Children's Hospital is being championed by Tees Valley's Dame Tanni Grey Thompson.
* TO vote for a name for the new hospital, or to make a donation to The Children's Foundation, visit www.hospitalvote.co.uk or text the word HOSPITAL to 60999 followed by the keyword of your favourite name: LIGHTS – Northern Lights Children's Hospital; GREAT – Great North Children's Hospital; GREENHOUSE – The Greenhouse Children's Hospital.Or send your choice on a postcard to: PO Box 2YB, Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle, NE99 2YB.
All texts are charged at your standard network rate. Voting closes at midnight on Wednesday, July 2.Text votes received after this time will not be counted but will still be charged.The full article contains 277 words and appears in Sunderland Echo newspaper.
