A NEW Julia’s House children’s hospice will be built in Wiltshire, thanks in part to a star-studded fundraising event organised by film director Guy Ritchie.

The Poole-based charity plans to build a small dedicated hospice and roll-out a county-wide care service.

And thanks to private fundraising by patrons, most notably the Guy Ritchie and his fiancée Jacqui Ainsley, Julia’s House now has nearly half of the £3 million needed.

Much of the funding to kick-start the new hospice appeal was raised at a private clay shoot and auction organised by Guy Ritchie at his home on the Dorset Wiltshire border.

The star-studded guest list included David Beckham, actors Robert Downey Jnr and Jamie Dornan, Simon and Yasmin Le Bon, Trudie Styler and the Crown Prince of Bahrain.

Julia’s House nurses had the chance to mingle with guests during the morning shoot and a short film about Julia’s House, commissioned by Guy and shot at the hospice, was screened during lunch.

Chief executive Martin Edwards said: “Guy and Jacqui visited the hospice, met the children and were really moved and impressed by the support Julia’s House offers to families. They had expressed an interest in doing some fundraising, but what they raised far surpasses anything we could have hoped for.”

He added: “Many other hospice charities cover more than one county in this way. Having carefully researched the needs and our capability, we believe that we can and should reach out to children and families in Wiltshire, and that we can do so without lessening the care we provide in Dorset.

“Since launching Julia’s House in Dorset 12 years ago, we have developed services that are unlike any other children’s hospice service in the South West. It is clear that frequent respite support makes a difference not just to the children but to family life and relationships under great stress.

“There is currently no equivalent service for children and families in Wiltshire. We want to help them as much as we can.”

A public appeal will be launched in Wiltshire to raise the remaining funds and it is hoped the hospice will open within two-three years.