PATIENTS at St Richard's Day Hospice have enjoyed a week of special activities and entertainment from Droitwich performers.

On Tuesday the Norbury Belles Tap Dancers showed off their skills, while on Wednesday the Droitwich hand bell ringers put on a musical performance.

The week of Christmas parties has been organised by the Worcester-based hospice to bring some extra festive cheer to the centre's patients.

Cat Ainsworth, assistant communications manager at St Richard's Hospice, said: "The hospice is always a cheerful place but it is just a little bit of festivity. Everybody loves to get involved.

"Our day hospice provides day care for patients who are coming to the end of their lives and they come in for special support and treatment.

"We have a wide range of specialist support services but at Christmas we like to do something a little bit more informal for them, a little bit more fun.

"We put life into patients' days. They are at the stage where we can't put days into their lives. It is just part of enjoying life, it is really the ethos of the hospice to support people to feel as well as they can."

Choirs from local schools, the Fool Monty jester and a hand bell group from Malvern has also been performing for patients this week.

Meanwhile festive food and drinks have been served at each party by hospice staff Rachel Nichols, Wendy Broom, Colleen Gaffney and Liesl Potts.

For more information about the hospice visit strichards.org.uk