Rugby star George North has lent his support to a Halesworth organisation which aims to provide help and information for adult carers.

The Open Door carer support group meets twice a month at Patrick Stead Hospital in the town and offers people who care for loved ones the chance to get together with others who are in a similar situation.

The group was set up two years ago thanks to a £20,000 innovation grant from Suffolk County Council, but now the funding is almost gone, those working with the group have launched a fundraising campaign, starting with a clairvoyant evening.

The Welsh international and Northampton Saints rugby star has donated a signed shirt to be raffled on the night.

Dawn South, one of the volunteers with the group, said: “George North is related to one of the ladies in our group and she told him about what we were trying to do to raise funds.

“So he very kindly agreed to give us one of his shirts and sign it.

“We have been getting people from all over the country contacting us to buy tickets, and George has been Tweeting about it.”

The Open Door group meets the first and third Tuesday of every month and people can drop in any time between 2pm and 4.30pm.

Ms South said: “People can come along and have a break from their home life and they can choose what they do.

“They can just have a drink and cake and a chat or have one of the complementary therapies on offer.

“We also have people who come in from other groups who can provide lots of information that can help carers.”

As well as the fundraising evening, the group hopes that in the long term it can secure grants to guarantee its future and also expand what is on offer.

The raffle will be drawn at the clairvoyant evening which takes place on Wednesday, June 17, in Chinny’s sports bar in Halesworth, starting at 7pm.

Tickets for the clairvoyant evening and raffle tickets for the shirt are on sale at Chinny’s, the Ipswich Building Society in Halesworth and at halesworthopendoor@gmail.com

Do you have a story from Halesworth? Email lynn.crombie@archant.co.uk or call 01502 712060.