A HOTEL is holding a fundraising event to raise hundreds of pounds for the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital in London.

Hotel staff at the Premier Inn in Thirsk have spent the last few months planning a family fun day in an effort to raise as much money as they can for the charity.

The hospital, founded in the 1800s has space for around 400 sick and injured children, but often has to rely on donations to fund further life-saving equipment.

Organising the fundraiser, duty manager Laura Jayne Pollard, has also invited a number of businesses from across the Hambleton district who will attend during the day.

She said: “We’re trying to do something a little bit different with the event to encourage the local people to get involved.”

Ms Pollard, who’s schoolfriend gave birth to a boy with Down-Syndrome and was cared for at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, said she wanted to “support the charity” when speaking to The Northern Echo earlier this year.

She said: “I have been organising it since about March time, last time we had around 100 people, but we are trying to put on a little bit more to get more people involved.”

As part of the second 'family fun day' to be held in the hotel’s history, stalls from surrounding businesses will set up shop, while activities and music will be held throughout the day.

A huge raffle and family games will also take place on the premises, with all proceeds going towards the children’s charity and hospital.

Ms Pollard said: “We have set ourselves a target of £1,000 to raise – last time we raised £800 in one day. If we do the event again, we’ll try and up our target each year. This year we have brought it forward earlier in the year as it is the start of the holidays. We have done it on a weekend so that people working their Monday to Friday and 9 to 5 jobs get a chance to come.”

The family fun day will take place at the Premier Inn at Sowerby Gateway on Saturday, August 17,

Everyone is welcome and tickets are not required.