SOHAM Staploe Rotary Club s Christmas Concert will raise cash for East Anglia s Children s Hospices when it takes place at Ely Cathedral. The event on Friday, December 22, at 7.30pm will feature Ely Cathedral Choir with the Cambridge-based ensemble Prime

SOHAM Staploe Rotary Club's Christmas Concert will raise cash for East Anglia's

Children's Hospices when it takes place at Ely Cathedral.

The event on Friday, December 22, at 7.30pm will feature Ely Cathedral Choir with the Cambridge-based ensemble Prime Bass.

The annual event attracts more than 1,000 people every year.

"I hope local people will come and enjoy the concert while supporting the work that EACH does for sick children locally," said Barry Lonsdale, president of Soham Staploe Rotary Club, which hopes to raise £10,000 for EACH this year.

The club will also make a donation to Ely Cathedral Music Appeal, which will receive 25 per cent of net proceeds from tickets and other sales on the night.

Tickets are available from the Ely Cathedral box office (01353 660349) or on-line at www.cathedral.ely.anglican.org/shop/tickets

n Guests who attended the ruby wedding anniversary party for Maurice and Cynthia Bell, of Littleport, donated £280 to the hospice appeal in lieu of presents at the couple's request.

In the meantime, the Milton hospice has a new resident in the shape of Scip, a cuddly life-size stuffed toy kangaroo, who was

previously a mascot for Cambridgeshire County Council's disabled children's support service.

Smaller versions of Scip will be for sale in the hospice shop.

"We needed to find a new home for him and the hospice seemed the perfect place," said county councillor Shona Johnstone, cabinet member for Children and Young People's

Services.