A NURSE is spearheading a campaign to make a women’s health clinic a nicer environment for patients and staff.

Mum-of-one Tracey Bell, 36, of Southend, is hoping to raise £3,000 for the Women’s Clinic at Southend Hospital in a bid to give it facelift.

The staff nurse said: “We care for women from all over Essex but mostly in Southend, Basildon and Canvey areas.

“It’s important that women have this kind of place to come to for specialist treatment. I always tell my patients women are very complex - there’s no men’s clinics.

“Women often don’t have a full knowledge of what they’re coming in for so part of our job is also to counsel them and put them at ease as part of the process.”

The clinic offers obstetrics and gynaecological treatment for women.

Tracey is running a number of fundraising events to help get the cash to fix up the clinic.

She added: “There are cracks in the walls that need filling. As a team, we care about our patients and want to make the environment nicer for them.

“I would like to raise some funds just to help support the clinic and there’s no money in the hospital pot for it.

“We shouldn’t have to resort to fundraising like this but the state of the NHS at the moment and the way it’s funded, this is what we have to do to help our patients.

“If we want to keep our clinics running and support our patients then we need to raise the funds ourselves.”

Tracey will be holding a monthly hamper basket raffle and a guess the name of the teddy raffle throughout the year.

She will also be undertaking a skydive in September.

She said: “I am probably more concerned about raising the funding at the moment but I may be nervous on the day. I’m just excited about it at this stage.”

Tracey is appealing for donations as well as anyone who may be able to offer raffle prizes for them. They have already had prizes from the Cliffs Pavilion and the Roslin Hotel.

If you can help, you can get in touch with Tracey at the clinic.

Or donate at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/womens-clinic