A MUCH loved fundraising event in aid of Nightingale House Hospice will take on a new dimension this month.

The hospice will be holding its first ever virtual duck race, filmed at a local location and which entrants will then be able to view on its Facebook site at 6pm on Wednesday 28 October.

Katharine Griffiths from Whittingham Riddell Ltd said: “The Team at WR Partners are once again delighted to support Nightingale House Hospice with their 2020 Virtual Duck Race, COVID guidelines having to be adhered means we will be unable to attend what normally is a fun filled afternoon. We wish you every success in raising money for such a worthy cause.”

There will be a number of small duck races sponsored by The Acton Park Pub and Whittingham Riddell Ltd with some top prizes up for grabs including:

• Pen Y Bont Meal Voucher for two

• Nail Voucher £15 Gel Polish - Nails By Aly Eluned

• Family Ticket for Llangollen Wharf

• £20 Emz Cakes Voucher

• £50 Three Eagles Voucher (Llangollen)

• £15 Hair Voucher – Route 66 Salon Llay

• £50 Egerton Arms Voucher, Broxton

There will also be a big finale giant duck race, The Big Quacker! Sponsored by DTM Legal. The winner will receive:

• 4 x family tickets to a North Wales Crusaders Game.

• followed by a meal at the Fat Boar Wrexham with the players and directors and

• A North Wales Crusaders t-shirt

To purchase a duck for any of the races go to the Nightingale House website or call the Fundraising Team on 01978 314292. Terms and conditions apply.

This year has been one the most financially challenging for the hospice. It will cost £3,435,943 to run hospice services with 82 per cent of the funding coming from public donations.

Fundraising events planned for this year were expected to contribute at least £250,000 towards patient care but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the subsequent lockdown and social distancing measures many of these events have been unable to go ahead.

Richard Thomas, Partner DTM Legal added: "DTM Legal are proud sponsors of the Big Quacker Duck Race. In these strange COVID times it is hard to find ways to fundraise but the team at Nightingale have so many ideas and this is another great one.

"We hope it raises lots of interest to help them fundraise for the very important work that they do in caring for their in – patients and providing much needed services across the community. DTM Legal are right behind them with this event. May the best duck win."