Last updated 11:37, Friday, 04 July 2008

AN OPEN air concert will be held in Cockermouth tomorrow in celebration of the 21st anniversary of Hospice At Home West Cumbria.

Concert in the Park will be held in the grounds of the Fitz Mansion, on the edge of the town. Organisers are hoping for an audience of about 1,000 to watch the line-up of local talent.

Acts will include Flimby Male Voice Choir, All Saints School choir, Allerdale Fiddlers and Rosehill Youth Theatre.

The hospice charity was set up in 1987 and the heart of its operation is a home nursing service, giving support on a one-to-one basis to anyone with terminal illness.

It has expanded its services to include drop-in centres in Cockermouth, Whitehaven and Millom, day centres in Maryport and Whitehaven, a lymphoedema service to treat limb swelling that many cancer sufferers have, a bereavement service and complementary therapies.

NHS funding covers about a third of the charity’s costs but Hospice At Home must find the rest to keep going – about £1,000 a day.

Tom Marchand, Dobies’ general manager, said: “It is a very worthy cause. Everyone knows someone who has been touched by this issue and who needs assistance.

“It should be a great day out, weather permitting.”

The charity’s fund-raising manager Bob Barnby said: “It’s meant to be a good day out for the family to showcase local talent and raise money for Hospice at Home.

“We hope it will be a big event and that lots of people will turn up to mark the occasion.

“If we have a lovely day then it will be a marvellous event.”

As well as the main stage, there will be a beer tent, paint balling and a bouncy castle.

MC for the event will be Whitehaven businessman Tony Roberts, a keen supporter of the charity.

Tickets, at £6 (£3 for under-16s) are available from the hospice office on 01900 873173.

It will start at 3pm.