EMPLOYEES at a Darlington shopping centre are gearing up for an evening with some risqué Romans, as part of a charity fundraising drive.

The team at the Cornmill Shopping Centre is hosting a Ladies’ Night, featuring entertainment from the Centurions, a four piece line up of Gladiator-clad performers, on Thursday, June 6, as part of a series of initiatives to raise funds for St Teresa’s Hospice.

Cornmill staff have been raising valuable funds over the past few weeks through events and initiatives including ‘Spend a Penny to Raise a Penny’ and a family fun day, all aimed at raising money for the hospice which provides Hospice at Home, day therapy, in-patient care and family support services to people across South Durham and North Yorkshire.

The Ladies’ Night will be held East End Club, in Neasham Road, which offered free use of the venue for the evening.

The event will see popular hunky dancing crew, The Centurions, performing some risqué dance routines to entertain guests as well as a drag queen compere and a raffle with prizes including a spa day and a stay at the Mercure Hotel in Sheffield.

Susan Young, centre manager at the Cornmill, said: “We’re really looking forward to the Ladies’ Night, which promises to be an entertaining and fun night for all of our guests, but most of all we hope it will raise valuable funds for St Teresa’s Hospice.

“The people of Darlington have already donated generously over the past few weeks and I’m looking forward to seeing how much we can raise on the night.”

The Cornmill Shopping Centre is a long-standing supporter of St Teresa’s Hospice, however the latest fundraising drive was prompted by long-standing Cornmill employee Russell Longstaff, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in December and died last week.

The charity offered valuable support to Mr Longstaff and his family during his illness.

Ladies’ Night will start promptly at 7:30pm and tickets cost £10. To book, call 01325-369111.