A COMMUNITY fundraiser is being staged this Saturday (November 25) in order to bring Christmas cheer to poorly children at Derriford Hospital over the festive period.

The Tavistock community is coming together for the ‘gingerbread and candy cane’ fundraiser at the Methodist church — and every penny raised will go to Derriford Hospital Children’s Ward to make the children’s ward more festive friendly.

Tavistock resident Bex Hurle, mum of cancer warrior Ivy, 3, who is currently in Derriford Hospital for treatment, recently appealed for help to raise funds for the ward after she learned that the department had no money in its budget to bring festive fun to those youngsters having to stay at hospital over Christmas.

Bex said: ‘Derriford has been amazing to Ivy and are wonderful to us as a family, so we wanted to do what we can to make it an enjoyable Christmas for people staying on the ward and those working over Christmas.

‘It is wonderful that the Tavistock community is helping to make it an enjoyable Christmas by helping to raise money for the ward and I am so very grateful.’

The fundraiser will see tables in both halls of the church for people to sell their children’s outgrown clothes, toys and games. Organisers will ask for 50p entrance donations per adult.

As the children’s ward has little resources for Christmas decorations, the organisers of the event have set themselves a target of £500 to help give the children on the ward and their families a ‘Christmas worth remembering’.

Tavistock resident Mia Holman, who has helped organise the event, said: ‘I am more than happy to help where I can and as I have an events company and I know the right people to ask for help to create a fabulously decorated ward.

‘Val from Kaleidoscope  is a balloon artist and is going to make some amazing creations for us and Matt from Swoon at the Moon will make bespoke signage. It’s wonderful to see so many people in the community helping.

‘Around 50 children will spend Christmas Day in Derriford and any money left will go to buying them gifts. I volunteer once a year at Great Ormond Street Hospital and they always have so much to give to the children at Christmas time and I want to do the same at our local hospital.’