Weldmar Hospicecare has announced the return of its notorious fundraising event, Jail & Bail, and is searching for local people who are willing to spend a day behind bars for charity.
On Friday, 13th March, Dorchester’s Shire Hall museum’s historic courtroom will see ‘criminals’ from across Dorset face sentencing for light-hearted crimes, ranging from ‘excessive use of emojis’ to ‘never making the tea’.
Participants will then be banished to the historic cells below for the day, where they can use their phones and social media to raise a minimum of £999 in ‘bail’ money to fund Weldmar’s specialist end of life care in the county.
The charity is aiming to build on the £15,000 raised at two previous Jail & Bail events, with all proceeds staying in Dorset to fund care for adults with a life limiting illness and support for their loved ones.
Fiona Hansford, Fundraising Lead at Weldmar Hospicecare, said: “We are thrilled to bring Jail & Bail back to such an iconic local venue. It’s a day full of drama and laughs, and provides a fantastic PR opportunity for local businesses, who can also show their charitable side. We’re looking for local ‘culprits’ to step forward, and we’ll give them lots of support and advice on how to prepare to raise the bail on the day.”
Previous ‘inmate’, Claudia Webb, who was charged with ‘never tidying the office’, added: “I absolutely loved taking part. It was a fun, memorable experience and a great way to bring people together to support vital local work. I’d wholeheartedly encourage anyone to get involved. It’s one of those fundraisers that really stays with you.”
With only a limited number of cells available, Weldmar is encouraging early applications. The deadline for entries is 20th February.
Interested participants can turn themselves in by visiting weldmarhospicecare.org.
