A FAMILY fun day featuring food, music and activities for children will take place at Weymouth Rugby Club.

The event is being organised by Hayley Bigg and others wishing to raise funds for the Purbeck Ward at Dorset County Hospital.

The group has raised more than £30,000 to go towards a new dementia day room, which will assist patients living with the condition. The group is looking to raise an additional £20,000.

A family fun day will be held at the club on Saturday, July 23 between 11am and 5pm.

Organiser Hayley said fundraisers involved took it in turns to organise different events.

Discussing the forthcoming family fun day, she said: “It was just a random idea. It progressed into a massive event.

“Facebook has been a brilliant advertiser. It’s taken off quite well.

“Lots of people have been helping out and will be coming along.”

The day will be hosted by community radio station AIR 107.2. There will be performances from Morgan Lilly, Odyssey Majorettes, Flashback Huzzah and Blazin Strings.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Weymouth and Portland have been invited and will judge a fancy dress competition.

Hayley said: “It’s going to be a really fun day, the first day of the summer holidays. It’s cheap to go to. There’s a bar, food and lots of activities for the children.”

Fundraisers began raising money for the dementia day room just over two years ago. The room will help provide a calm and homely space away from the clinical side of the ward.

The Purbeck Ward is an orthopaedic and trauma ward. It has a high level of admissions of patients living with dementia, who have fallen and fractured bones. It is hoped a new day room will cause patients to become less distressed and confused whilst in hospital.

Laura Barton said the room would benefit patients in lots of different ways.

She added: “Patients will also have communal meal times which isn’t currently

available in the ward.”

Fundraisers have already raised £30,339. They need to raise a further £24,435.

Entry to the event will cost £2.50 for adults. Children aged 12 and under go free.

The event will also feature table top stalls, obstacle course, bouncy castle, face painting and crazy golf. There will also be a number of food outlets.

Organisers behind the event wanted to express their thanks to Ian McMillan, from Weymouth Rugby Club, and TS Scaffolding, from Weymouth, for providing the stage.

For more information about the fundraiser, search Purbeck Ward Dementia Day Room Fundraising Page on Facebook. To contribute money towards the Purbeck Ward dementia day room, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/DementiaAppeal

Organisers are still looking for raffle prizes and table top sellers. If you’re able to help, email hayley85@hotmail.co.uk