A BRISTOL-BASED children's hospice is looking for volunteers to start a new friends group in South Gloucestershire.

Children's Hospice South West is hoping to start the new fund-raising group to help build a second hospice in the Bristol area.

There are currently more than 800 children in the South West with life-threatening or life-limiting diseases in the South West but only one hospice to care from them.

Plans for a second children's hospice are now underway and a fund-raising drive called the Babe Appeal has already been launched.

It is hoped that by the end of the year nearly £1.5 million will have been raised towards a new hospice.

Catherine Gearing, Regional Fund-raiser for Children's Hospice South West, said: "This is a very exciting time for Children's Hospice South West and we want the communities in South Gloucestershire to be involved with this fantastic project. The aim of our friends groups is for people to come together and have fun whilst raising the awareness of our charity in the local community through fund-raising."

An information evening is being held at Wickwar Parish Hall on Wednesday, March 16 (6.30pm).

For more information please ring Regional Fund-raiser Catherine Gearing on 0117 973 7291 or visit www.chsw.org.uk