Stars of UFC and comedy unite for Zoe's Place

Stars from sport and show business have teamed up for a fundraising night to help save Zoe's Place in Liverpool.

The baby hospice, which has provided palliative and end-of-life care for children up to five-years-old for more than three decades, is facing closure after failing to find funding for a new building before its lease runs out.

It now has just 30 days to raise £5million to build a new facility to keep the hospice in the city.

UFC stars Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett, both from Liverpool, joined forces for a fundraising run to help raise money and awareness of the hospice's plight.

McCann said: "We have all fundraised for this place since we've been involved in sport. It stings, it's a sore one for us all. We are trying to do everything we can to keep it open.

"It's not just allowing respite, it's educating families how to deal with a different life from the one people live and without it the people who rely on this won't have that. It could cost lives and make lives a lot harder. We need to dig in to get some more money."

Pimblett added: "Zoe's Place is the first charity that I helped when I first started fighting. My school was two minutes away. It's always been here throughout my life and helped a lot of people I know. It would be a travesty if it went. We will do whatever we can to raise the funds."

• UFC stars Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett.

Local comedians Paul Smith and Adam Rowe were also amongst the runners.

Rowe is organising a comedy night later this month that will be streamed live allowing people to donate from home.

He said: "I went to school 100 yards from here and this was always the charity we did fundraising for. It stuck with me. Last week when the news broke it looked like this place would shut in December, we can't let it happen.

"I'm very biased, I'm a proud Scouser but I think this is the only city in the world where 'this is shutting' and the city says 'no it's not'. The tide has started turning and I do think we have got a real shot at saving this place now."

• Comedians Paul Smith and Adam Rowe

Smith added: "We are doing some fundraising shows. Adam has been the catalyst for this. He's done so well. Zoe's Place is irreplaceable, that's why it's had such a strong reaction. I don't think anyone knew how in-danger it was.

"The work they do, nobody else does it. If this goes what's going to happen to these families and the children they support? It doesn't bear thinking about. It's a massive amount of money but there's a massive amount of people involved. A lot of people doing a little bit of work each, we can get it done."