A WEEKEND of events throughout Rossendale is expected to raise more than £1,000 to help fund expansion plans at the area's hospice.

Organisers of the 'Hospice Weekend' staged fund-raising events in each of the three main towns in the Rossendale Valley. They are expected to reach the £1,000 mark.

The fund-raising extravaganza kicked off on Friday night with a performance by about 125 local schoolchildren in front of an audience of more than 250 adults. The evening of music and song at Haslingden Public Hall raised around £500. On Saturday the Astoria Ballroom, Rawtenstall, was host to stallholders from across the North West taking part in a craft fair, with hundreds of people browsing for bargains and Christmas gifts. The takings were being counted today.

In the evening, flat caps and clogs were the fashion as a 'Lancashire Neet' was held at Trinity Baptist Church, Bacup, to round off the cash-gathering push in traditional style. The night added a further £360.

Hospice appeals director Liz Ratcliffe, said: "We're planning to expand the hospice. At the moment it uses part of a building in the grounds of Rossendale General Hospital and we want to expand into other parts of the building.

"The weekend was a great success and we are very grateful to everyone who helped organise and run the events and all the people who went along and contributed to the hospice fund."

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