ACORNS Children's Hospice has taken a look back at 2015 - the year it celebrated its tenth anniversary at Bath Road in Worcester.

Ten years ago Acorns for the Three Counties first opened its doors to children and over the past 12 months, staff, volunteers, families and members of the public have been helping to mark the milestone in a variety of ways.

Back at the beginning of the year, crowds cheered on Worcester Warriors at Sixways as the Rugby club, an official charity partner of Acorns, held their fifth annual Charity Matchday.

The Valentine’s Day match helped raise vital funds for the Acorns and as per tradition, Warriors took to the field wearing special Matchday shirts designed by children at the hospice.

In May, the hospice opened its doors for a special tenth anniversary summer fete.

People were invited to enjoy an afternoon of stalls and games in the hospice's extensive gardens and had a chance to tour the hospice and see the charity’s work first-hand.

The tenth Acorns Triple Run at the Three Counties Showground in June was the setting for memorable scenes as three-year-old Charlie, who lives with a life-threatening mitochondrial disease, crossed the finish line using a specially designed walking frame.

Charlie, from Malvern, smashed his fundraising target and helped raise an incredible £2,167 for Acorns.

In its first ever visit to the city, last month saw crowds descend on Worcester Racecourse for the Acorns Lantern Walk.

Each carrying light-up lanterns, participants braved the wind and rain for a family day out and sponsored walk. It is hoped the event will raise £15,000 to help the charity fund its care.

As well as events, fundraising and Charity Matchdays, the work of Acorns supporting life-limited and life-threatened children and their families continued every single day this year.

The hospice provides a vital service for families, helping them cope with the sometimes overwhelming pressures of caring for a disabled child.

Specialist staff provide a tailored package of care for the children, and emotional support for families.

Since Acorns for the Three Counties first opened its doors, the hospice has cared for more than 465 children and their families and in the past year has supported over 180 children and more 230 families, including those who are bereaved.

The charity needs to raise over £9million every single year to continue to provide its care and it relies on fundraising for the majority of this amount.

Anyone interested in getting involved should visit acorns.org.uk.