Film director Guy Ritchie signs up as patron of Julia’s House

Guy Ritchie, who has worked on movies including Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Sherlock Holmes, and RocknRolla, has backed the children’s charity, along with his fiancée, supermodel Jacqui Ainsley.

The couple, who live on the Dorset/ Wiltshire border, were guests at the 10th birthday recep-tion of Julia’s House, which was held at the home of Prime Minister, David Cameron, at 10 Downing Street last year.

At the special occasion, they had the chance to meet families supported with the hospice and staff who work there, and subsequently made a private visit to Julia’s House, in Broadstone, to see the charity’s fantastic work for themselves.

Sally Rowe, PR and communications fellow co-ordinator at Julia’s House, said: “Both Guy and Jacqui are really passionate about the charity and want to help as much as they can.”

She added: “They are particularly inter-ested in the newly-launched South Wiltshire community care service which offers frequent respite at home for families living just over the Dorset border.”

Mr Ritchie joins a host of well-known faces and celebrities who have shown their support to the good cause, including Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp, CBBC presenter Chris Jarvis, Olympic athlete Liz Yelling, and actor and presenter Martin Clunes. Julia’s House is Dorset’s only hospice dedicated to children with life-limiting conditions, who visit the hospice for sessions and overnight stays or care from the community team, consisting of nurses and carers who provide support to families in their own homes.

The charity cares for around 100 children, the majority of whom are unlikely to live into adulthood.

In 2014, the charity needs to raise £3.9million to keep running, yet it receives less than 10 per cent of its total annual funding from the government. The rest comes in through public donations, corporate partners and charitable foundations.

For more information, go to juliashouse.org