STAFF at a North-East college have spent a day dressing up to raise money for Butterwick House Children’s Hospice.

Teachers at Stockton Riverside College’s Teesdale campus and Bede Sixth Form in Billingham swapped formalwear for fancy dress to raise money for Children’s Hospice Week. Activities also included raffles and a cake sale.

Paula Kelly, a youth worker at the college, said: “Everyone has been keen to get behind such a worthy cause. The work that they do at the hospice is amazing and also truly humbling.”

Butterwick House Children’s Hospice caters for children from birth to 19 years with a new custom-built unit being added for those aged 13 to 25.

With running costs of £800,000 per year the children’s hospice community team leader Laura-Jane Wedgwood said it relied heavily on fundraising.

“We get very little support from the Government so the vast majority of the money needed comes from the generosity of the community.

“Without that local support we wouldn’t have the hospice and wouldn’t be able to provide the services and care that we do.”

Children’s Hospice Week aims to raise awareness and funds for children with life limiting conditions and the services that support them.

This year’s event focused on the round the clock care provided to these children by their families, health professionals and children’s hospices across the UK.