SPORTS clubs are making sure that a new children's hospice, which is due to open in Devizes this spring, is hitting its fundraising target.

Devizes Town Cycling Club and Marlborough Rugby Club have both shown their support for Julia's House and have now presented cheques to the charity.

More than £10,000 was handed over to Ged Montgomery from the Wiltshire fundraising team by the rugby club, which joined forces with Devizes Young Farmers and Devizes firm Witney Grain to organise a summer ball.

Charlie Sheppy, who was rugby club president at the time of the ball, said: "We were delighted to have been able join forces with Devizes Young Farmers to support Julia’s House.

"Over recent years the Marlborough Rugby Club Summer Ball has grown is size and reputation and is now firmly established as one of the highlights of the local social scene.

"Last year the club decided to join forces with Devizes Young Farmers to put on a bigger and better event to raise money for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice."

Rugby club chairman Gary Sharp said: “When planning for last year’s event, we were approached by Amanda Palmer from Witney Grain Ltd and the Devizes YFC about the potential of hosting the event for Julia’s House.

"Julia’s House is a fantastic local charity providing a really valuable service to families across the twin counties of Dorset and Wiltshire and we were delighted to offer our support.”

Amanda Palmer from Witney Grain, based at Roundway Business Park, said: "This was a fantastic event and we were delighted to support this fantastic local charity."

Devizes Town Cycling Club turned out in force on Saturday to present a cheque for £250 to Pat Johnson of Julia's House outside the new children's hospice at Browfort, Devizes which is nearing completion.

Tim Piggott from the cycling club said: "At our last Devizes Town Cycling Club  annual general meeting our members really were keen to develop our links with the local community and Julia's House Hospice is one of the great local charities with which we're keen to build an ongoing relationship. 

"We're initially making this one off donation from the club and in the coming months we'll be looking to do more including combining our love of cycling with fundraising by taking part in the Julia's House Hospice to Hospice challenge on June 11

"We're going to be doing something similar in the coming days for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, which again is a local chairity dear to the hearts of many of our members, their families and friends." 

The club meets at Devizes Leisure Centre on Saturdays at 9am.