A group of 12 surgeons who care for military patients at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham have raised thousands of pounds for the troops.

The team cycled 300 miles from the hospital to the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, which is dedicated to the memory of over 54,000 soldiers killed in the Ypres Salient in World War I and whose graves are unknown.

In doing so the group raised over £13,500 for the hospital’s official charity. Their generous donation has helped fund the creation of a common room for patients on the ward. The relaxing space includes a giant TV screen, comfy sofas, DVDs, computer games and consoles.

Rhodri Williams, a consultant maxillofacial surgeon who lives in Stourbridge, led the team and said: “By virtue of working at the hospital we are involved in the care of wounded military personnel from Iraq, Afghanistan and other theatres of conflict. We feel very privileged to look after these amazing individuals and have all at some time or other been moved by their courage, both in their profession and also in their attitude to recovery.

“We are very proud to have raised so much from our cycle challenge for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity and delighted to be able to help make some of the time patients spend being treated at the hospital a little easier.”

If you’d like to make a donation to support military patients please contact the charity team on 0121 371 4852 or visit the QEHB Charity website.