Calling all chippies – a local children’s charity needs you. 

Julia’s House, Dorset’s hospice charity for children, is appealing to chip shop owners to sign up for their Chip Shop Challenge.

Owners are asked to donate 5p from every portion of chips sold in August to support families with a child that has a life-limiting condition. 

The annual campaign has proven to be popular with both chip shops and customers in the past, with many posting ‘selfies’ in support of the challenge on the Julia’s House Facebook page. 

Every chip shop that signs up will get a fundraising pack including a poster and information about the charity to show customers what they are doing and how they are supporting Julia’s House.

In return, fundraisers will promote the chip shops that are taking part at community events around the county, and encourage people to support the challenge by buying a bag of chips.

Bennett’s and The Seagull in Weymouth are two chippies that signed up to the challenge last year. 

Last year’s Chip Shop Challenge raised just under £3000, enough to pay for two six-hour sessions at the Dorset hospice for eight children, complete with play and complementary therapies. 

Community fundraising manager Laura Kelly said: “It would be brilliant if we could top that this year.

“We’re hoping lots of tourists and locals alike will support the Challenge chippies and help them in their efforts to make a big difference to families going through difficult times. Because we rely on the local community for 94 per cent of our funding, fundraisers like this are really important.”

Julia’s House cares for children who may not live into adulthood, providing practical and emotional support through frequent short breaks for mums and dads and social opportunities for the whole family. 

Any shops that would like to sign up to the challenge, can call Laura on 012020 644220 or email laura.kelly@juliashouse.org.