MARY Stevens Hospice is set to host a glamorous ball to commemorate 25 years since Diana, Princess of Wales, officially opened the Stourbridge charity.

The hospice are marking the anniversary in the same year the day unit HRH opened prepares to undergo the largest refurbishment project in its history.

An additional £3 million is needed by the Hagley Road hospice – on top of the £2.8 million they need each year to make their care available to families battling the impact of life-limiting illnesses – to finish the day unit rebuild.

Staff at the charity are hopeful that the ball will bring the community together in celebration of the milestone, and also contribute to raising the funds required for the ambitious project.

The theme of the ball is ‘Black and White’ and will be held at the Ramada Park Hall Hotel, in Wolverhampton on Friday, November 3.

Diane Moore, event organiser, said: “We held a masquerade ball last year which sold out in remarkable fashion, and the feedback we received from our supporters was that they had a great night.

“So with 2017 also marking such an important anniversary, we thought it only right that we do it all again to give our supporters a fantastic night, and pay tribute to a pivotal moment which paved the way for tens of thousands of families to access our care.”

If the fundraising target is met, the proposed refurbishment will allow the hospice to take on 87 per cent more day patients, and will also include an on-site family apartment, so that families can live at the hospice and stay with their loved ones in critical moments.

The day centre opening hours are also expected to be increased to seven days a week.

Charlotte Schofield, head of fundraising at Mary Stevens Hospice, said: “In the 25 years since HRH Princess Diana opened the hospice, we have provided vital care and support to local families battling incredibly difficult circumstances.

“However, we also always knew that the day would come where we would need to refurbish and modernise in order to continue meeting the ever-growing needs of the local community, with more and more people relying on our support each year.

“This ball is a celebration of all that is good about this hospice, and the legacy that Princess Di created, and we’d love to share that with the people whom we simply couldn’t exist without – our supporters.”

To book tickets for the ball, visit www.marystevenshospice.co.uk/event/black-and-white-ball or call the hospice fundraising team on 01384 377778.

Tickets are priced at £49 per person, or £45 each if booking as part of a party of 10 or more.