A popular Suffolk Morris dancing side has lent its support to a project to raise £714,000 to fund a special centre for people with life-limiting illnesses after choosing Halesworth Community Nursing Care Fund (HCNCF) as its charity of the year.

Rumburgh Morris, a mixed-sex Cotswold Morris side which formed in 2008, will generously support the charity throughout its 2015 season by holding collections at their regular performances.

They chose HCNCF after learning about its plans for the ISC, which is earmarked for land next to Cutlers Hill Surgery in Halesworth and will bring a full range of holistic services closer to home, including benefits advice, wig-fitting, complementary therapies, help understanding a diagnosis, counselling and bereavement support.

Dave Pring, treasurer and deputy squire of the side, said: “Rumburgh Morris carefully chooses which charity to support every year, and one important criteria is that it must be local and be of benefit to our local community. HCNCF ticks all the boxes and chimes well with our members, some of whom have or had experience of caring for relatives and friends with life limiting illnesses.

“It’s a privilege to be able to support HCNCF in their quest to build the information and support centre in our local town.”

Once built, the ISC will serve around 50,000 people living within a 15 mile radius of Halesworth, who currently have to travel up to 30 miles to a major town or city to access support. It will be open to both patients and their carers.

The charity has so far raised around £457,000 toward the project – the equivalent of 64%.

Ted Edwards, ISC chairman, said: “We are really grateful to Rumburgh Morris, who have so generously chosen the ISC project to benefit from their dances this year. To receive such fantastic support from our local community means such a lot to everyone who is working so hard to transform our vision for the ISC into a reality.

“We hope that everyone who goes along to enjoy one of their performances this year will not only have a great time but also be able to find a penny or two to spare for the collection box.”

For more information about Rumburgh Morris, or for a full schedule of their upcoming performances, visit www.rumburghmorris.org.uk/programme.html

For more information about the ISC project, or to make a donation, visit www.halesworthhealth.org/information-and-support-centre

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