DORSET-BASED nutritionist Barbara Cox is on a mission to ensure that 2019 gets off to a good start with the launch of a new health and wellbeing event – Your Best Year Yet!

The fundraising event at the Lewis-Manning Hospice in Poole takes place on January 15 from 6pm to 9pm. Around 12 therapists with be offering fitness taster sessions and there will be a variety of stalls, including providers of skincare, representatives of supplements and a chiropractor.

Barbara said: “My goal is to raise £4,100 for Lewis-Manning in 2019 – this will pay for one specialist nurse to work at the hospice for one month.

“I love health and wellbeing and I love my community and I decided to do the event following on from the corporate evening hosted at the hospice. There is nothing better than joining forces to support our local hospice, network and pamper ourselves.”

Participants will be welcomed with a drink on arrival, plus homemade soup from Barbara’s Rainbow Recipes cookbook and healthy dinner snacks.

David James, community fundraising manager at Lewis-Manning Hospice, said: “It’s an ideal way to kickstart the new year resolutions and a wonderful opportunity to experience mini treatments, such as Reiki and massage, try yoga or a gym workout, or relax with essential oils in the sensory room.”

Barbara’s interest in healthy eating started during a nine-year stay in Japan, which is renowned for low levels of obesity, cancer and heart disease

On returning to the UK, she founded and later sold Nutrichef, a company which produced high quality healthy meals, wrote a book (in collaboration with Chris Woollams, creator of The Rainbow Diet) and worked with various organisations including AFC Bournemouth. She has recently become the new Business Development Director at Bloom Finance Group.

There are 40 tickets available, priced £40 per person; therapies/fitness sessions will be pre-booked upon purchase. Stalls are available at £25. Email barbara@bcnutrition.co.uk or to book tickets see your-best-year-yet2019.eventbrite.co.uk