We want you to ‘Grin and Wear It’

And we want everyone on the Fylde coast to take part.

Today is the launch of the biggest ever dress down day ‘Grin and Wear It’ which will be taking place on Valentine’s Day – Friday, February 14.

We want every school pupil and teacher, every office worker and shop owner and everyone in between to dress up or down on the day and donate money to help raise vital funds for massive appeal, supporting Trinity Hospice and Brian House children’s hospice.

With the day being one to celebrate all things love, your school or workplace could dress up on a St Valentine’s theme.

Or, because it’s for our Hospice Heroes campaign, you could dress up as superheroes for the day. Perhaps you have other ideas to make the day as fun as possible – the choice is yours. But whatever you’re up to, make sure you let us know so we can feature your Dress Down day in The Gazette.

Already signed up to take part is the Bluebell Lodge Nursery on St Annes Road, South Shore.

Children there are used to dressing as heroes as they donned caps and wore pants over their trousers to sing to elderly residents of Thornlea care home last year. They will recreate their look for our appeal.

Also taking part are pupils at Kirkham Grammar school, staff at Axa Insurance in Lytham and Fylde MP Mark Menzies.

Even if your office wears a uniform and cannot take part in the dress down, it could still hold a collection for Hospice Heroes. That’s what’s being done at Blackpool Transport.

Customer services co-ordinator Bryan Lindop said: “Our staff will chip in £1 because they cannot dress down.

“It’s a nice thing to do and a great cause to be involved in, there’s no doubt about it.”

We need to raise £200,000 to help pay for a massive refurbishment at Trinity and Brian House in Bispham.

Our money will be put together with a £280,000 grant from the Department of Health, which will fund the creation of single rooms on the adult in-patient unit, new furniture and fittings and a new kitchen in Brian House.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A POSTER FOR THE GRIN AND WEAR IT EVENT

Trinity’s fund-raising manager Linzi Young said: “We love the idea of a dress down day across the Fylde Coast and really hope that everyone will join in.

“Here at the hospice our nurses will have to stay in uniform, but our support staff will be taking part, and the fund-raising team seems to be planning a day in pyjamas, which will be interesting if they have any meetings to attend.

“The great thing about this idea is that anyone can take part, no matter what they do.

“We will be encouraging local schools to get involved, along with the companies who support the hospice in so many ways during the year.

“Whether you spend the day in jeans instead of a suit, or in a onesie instead of your school uniform, it will help raise money for the Hospice Heroes appeal and make a massive difference to our patients for years to come.”

If you’re planning to take part, let us know – call (01253) 361728.

DETAILS OF HOW YOU CAN DONATE OR GET INVOLVED ARE LISTED ON OUR DEDICATED HOSPICE HEROES PAGE.