DEVIZES sixth formers have pledged to raise £1,500 by July for Julia's House after visiting the site in Devizes where the new children's hospice is taking shape.

A group of sixth form ambassadors were given a guided tour of the old building at Browfort which is being transformed into a state-of-the-art centre for children with life limiting illnesses.

Rebecca Thursby who works for Waites, the main contractor on the site, and has a daughter Sophia who is helped by Julia's House gave the teenagers an insight into the charity and what the hospice will offer.

The sixth form has chosen Julia's House as its charity of the year and will be holding a number of fundraising events. Some students will take part in the charity's Santa fun run in Hillworth Park.

Sixth form ambassador Olivia Milburn said: "Our sixth form ambassador team went on a guided tour of the Julia's House construction site so we could build a stronger connection to the charity we represent. Rebecca was a wonderful women who knew every detail about the building and also had a strong personal attachment to the project - making our supporting of the charity even more worthwhile.

"We aim to complete as much fundraising as possible within the next seven months to help."

Julia's House patrons Jasper Conran, Martin Clunes and Rupert Everett joined forces to raise money to pay for extra Wiltshire nurses for Julia's House to throw an event at Conran's Wiltshire home New Wardour Castle near Salisbury.

Mrs Thursby and her husband Damien from All Cannings, near Devizes, were among the guests and they and Sophia are to be the focus of the charity's Christmas appeal.

Another group raising money for Julia's House in 2017 will be Seend Fawlty Players. They have pledged to donate proceeds from the village's 38th annual pantomime, which this year is The Emperor's New Clothes to Julia's House. It will be held from February 16 to 18.