A CHARITY event called Rock-Out is being held on April 28 in Bacup to help claw back some of Rossendale Hospice's £100,000 debt.

Rossendale Leisure Trust is organising the one-off event in April to raise money for the debt-ridden charity.

The hospice, based at Cribden House, is facing the huge shortfall in funding for the first time since it opened its day centre in 1990.

Hospice bosses say the deficit is down to a big drop in donations and partly attribute this to people backing national and international charities.

Today organisers of the charity Rock-Out launched an appeal for sponsors to help fund the event to be held at Bacup Leisure Hall, Burnley Road on April 28.

Jane Britton, a member of Rossendale-based band ICE set to play at the event, who is helping organise the show, said: "Rossendale Hospice do fantastic work for the terminally ill in the surrounding areas and as highlighted they are facing a huge £100,000 shortfall in funding for the first time since it opened its day centre.

"We are in the process of arranging a night of music and entertainment that will appeal to not only the youth in the Valley but will hopefully generate some trade for surrounding businesses.

"The band line up we have is expected to sell-out the venue but we need specific help in covering probable costs of putting on the event."

Sponsors are being sought to help fund the sound system for the bands, printing costs for posters, fliers and tickets, security door staff, cleaning, plastic glasses for the bar, promotional costs and band travel expenses.

As well as ICE, the line-up includes includes: Four Day Hombre, a five-piece band based in Leeds, Spitfire, a four-piece band based in Burnley, Rossendale-based Bronx, a five-piece covers rock band, and Elevate, a vocal dance group from Blackpool.

Any companies sponsoring the event will be featured in the event's publicity and any surplus money received will go directly to the hospice after the event.

Businesses also have the chance to have the event named after their company for £1,000.

Rossendale Hospice's Sharon Lees said: "We are very grateful to anyone who helps the hospice. It's going to be a great night.

"A minimum of £300,000 a year is needed to maintain services and the hospice relies on the community for the majority."

Anyone wanting to help or raise funds for the hospice can contact Sharon Lees on 01706 240081 or contact Rossendale Leisure Trust on 01706 875550 or email bacup-leisure-hall@rltrust.co.uk