RESIDNTS are being urged to help a hospital’s appeal for new equipment for in-patients by buying Easter egg raffle tickets.

Bridport Lions Club will be holding their annual Easter egg raffle in locations around the town, with the main beneficiary being the Bridport Community Hospital.

The money raised will help to provide a Tovertafel magic table, which projects games and activities onto a table and responds to hand movements with infrared sensors.

Ellen Thomas, matron at Bridport Community Hospital, said: “At Bridport Hospital we aim to provide meaningful activities for our patients while they are in-patients on our wards to benefit their health, wellbeing and recovery. However, we are limited by our current resources, which are various puzzles and games and some art supplies. These are used quite quickly and constantly need replacing.

“Therefore, we have looked at the ‘Tovertafel’, which is being used extremely successfully on a daily basis at Blandford Hospital.

“This electronic computer type resource is fixed to the ceiling and is projected onto a table or the floor below. It has a massive amount of resources, for example puzzles, games, music and reminiscence resources. It can be used by groups of patients with an assistant or by an individual person and their family and carers.

“We have asked for some funding towards the Tovertfal from our hospital league of friends, which they have kindly agreed to.

“We hope to have it installed on the ward later his year and will have a member of staff to ensure it is used to its full potential many times each week.”

Each of the 22 locations taking part will raffle two Easter eggs, one plain and one milk chocolate, with further eggs being raffles at Morrisons on April 12 and 13.

The chocolate eggs have been produced by Gareth Morris at Aleksandra’s Chocolate Café in Bridport.

Sheila Burton, president of Bridport lions Club, said: “We would like to thank Gareth for his continued support, and we are always pleased to be able to work with local businesses.”

The raffle will be taking place at The George in Chideock, The Tiger Inn, Loders Arms, Ilchester Arms in Symondsbury, Morrisons, Washingpool Farm, The Clockhouse in Chideock, Highlands End Holiday Park in Eype, Haddon House Hotel in West Bay, The West Bay Hotel, Anchor Inn in Seatwon, Crown Inn in Uploders, Winyards Gap Inn near Beaminster, Marquis of Lorne in Nettlecombe, Anchor Inn in Burton Bradstock, Hair by David, Steve's barber shop in Bridport, the Oddfellows Arms in Bridport and the Pilot Boat in Lyme Regis.