A COMMUNITY has come together to help a charity that trains midwives and nurses in dealing with diabetes in pregnancy.

The Footloose dance groups from Borrowby and Knayton put on a show at Knayton Primary School recently and raised £170 for the Midwifery and Diabetes Educational Trust (Mandet).

The charity was set up by Andrew and Mandy Cook, from Knayton, after Mrs Cook, an insulin-dependent diabetic, almost died giving birth to their third child, Claire, in 1998.

Mandet is now run as a memorial to Claire, who developed dilated cardio-myopathy in January 2000. She later underwent a heart transplant in Newcastle's Freeman Hospital, but died in June 2000.

The charity has produced an educational CD-Rom for nurses and midwives, which is available nationwide.

Mandet's next fundraising event is the Claire Cook Memorial Walk on May 8.

Participants can choose to walk a five or ten-mile route through Knayton and surrounding villages.

The proceeds will be split between Mandet and the Children's Heart Unit Fund at the Freeman Hospital.

Mr and Mrs Cook said: "We need support for this year's sponsored walk to start replenishing funds, in order to be able to pay in the future for the production of the inevitable updates to the CD- Rom and any forthcoming requests for funding attendance at appropriate training courses."

Sponsorship forms are available on (01845) 537349.