TAKE the Cream Cake Challenge and help Save the Alex – that is the message from campaigners fighting to keep services at the Woodrow Drive Hospital.

Not only that but Redditch resident Helen Grant, who thought of the fun way to raise awareness, is also keen to use it as a way of fighting to preserve the NHS as a whole.

Neal Stote, chairman of the Save the Alex campaign, bravely stepped forward to be the first to get a pie in his face, but underlined the serious side to the stunt.

“The closure last week of the maternity unit could have some serious repercussions here,” he said.

“The training of junior doctors is the here for without a maternity unit it puts in doubt the future of paediatrics and accident and emergency, the key concerns raised by the West Midlands Clinical Senate.”

The campaign group is actively trying to raise funds to save the hospital which has been hit not only by the closure of the maternity department but also the loss of emergency gynaecology care for women.

Helen Grant, from Oakenshaw added: “The Cream Cake Challenge represents the slap in the face both staff and patients are feeling at the moment and it also aims to raise awareness of the current NHS crisis and to put pressure on the Government to act now.”

Watch Neal Stote take a pie to the face in the video above. ^

The campaign launched on Friday, November 13 and those who take part are urged to make a donation and nominate three people to take the challenge, one being a celebrity.

For more information or to take part visit Cream Cake Challenge on Facebook.

To donate visit goo.gl/ucGaA9 or crowdfunding.justgiving.com/savethealex.