Locally-written play raised more than £2,200 for Seaton Hospice at Home

The first time local author Chrissy Evans heard about the Seaton & District Hospital League of Friends funding palliative care service Hospice at Home was when her closest friend, diagnosed with cancer, was reaching the end of her life and needed care at home.

"That was the first time I heard about it," said Chrissy. "What's more, I was astonished to learn that the service is entirely funded by volunteers – the Seaton & District Hospital League of Friends – who have to raise more than £300,000 each year to keep the service afloat.

"I asked myself what I could do to support them and, as I'm not fit enough to climb mountains or ride around the country on a bike for sponsorship, I wrote a play."

'SOS Does Shakespeare', about the hapless Seaton-on-Sea am dram group, was the resultant play, recently staged at Colyton Town Hall.

Chrissy had hoped to raise £1,000 for the Seaton Hospice at Home Service, but over the two-night run she more than doubled this target and made a total of £2,257.

So many people came together to help Chrissy turn her idea into reality. A friend, Christine Newton, acted as producer and Steve Miller, technical manager at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, agreed to be director.

Local people from the community – some of whom had never acted before – formed the cast, and even Seaton's Mayor, Cllr Amrik Singh, made a guest appearance.

Local businesses in Colyton, Colyford, Beer and Seaton set up box offices to sell tickets, and local theatres and am dram groups in Axminster, Colyton and Seaton gave valuable help, advice and supplied the costumes.

A cheque for the Seaton Hospice at Home service was presented to Dr Mark Welland, chair of the League of Friends, last week.

Lycia Moore, manager of Seaton and District Hospital League of Friends, said: "On behalf of the League of Friends, I would like to thank Chrissy, Christine, Steve and the team for all their hard work, enthusiasm and for raising an amazing £2,257 for Seaton Hospice at Home".