After a record breaking show last summer, Blaston Show’s organising committee was able to make charitable donations of £23,750, and the mission is to raise even more in 2026.
Topping this year’s chosen charities is LOROS Hospice (Leicestershire and Rutland Organisation for the Relief of Suffering), which officially opened over 40 years ago.
LOROS Hospice is a local charity dedicated to providing free, high-quality and compassionate care to people with terminal illness across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, as well as support for their families and carers. Its focus is on delivering care that is personal and unique to each individual.
Approximately one fifth of the charity’s income comes from the NHS, but over £9 million still needs to be raised every year to be able to continue to provide its specialist care. To do this, LOROS relies on the support and generosity of local communities and businesses in order to raise these vital funds.
LOROS Supporter Engagement Lead, Emma Jones, said: “The Blaston Show is a brilliant family day out and always full of memorable moments. It’s a fantastic opportunity for people to get involved, enjoy the fun, and make a real difference. All funds raised help us provide specialist care to those who need it most, and we’re so grateful for everyone’s support.”
Find out more here: https://loros.co.uk/
Also set to benefit from this year’s fundraising is the Leicestershire Animal Shelter, founded in the 1950s. As demand for its services grew the charity built the Fairwinds Shelter in Billesdon in 1996 – originally the organisation relied on foster homes, but can now accommodate 26 cats and 26 dogs on site at a time.
The charity aims to give animals a long term, permanent home that they can feel loved and secure in. It takes dogs and cats into the shelter, providing they are healthy.
“As an independent Charity we rely heavily on donations to be able to care for our animals. We greatly appreciate being one of Blaston’s chosen charities this year, and any funds raised will be more than welcomed and put to very good use,” said Dawn Stocks, Animal Carer at the Shelter.
All its rehoming information can be found on the website: https://leicesteranimalrescue.co.uk/
Show Director Matthew Trembath commented: “We always like to support local charities, that’s the key aim of the show. LOROS has a tough job raising the significant funding it relies on. The work they do is incredible.
“Leicestershire Animal Rescue receives no government funding, the money to keep them going is all raised locally.
“Both our charities very much support the local area, which is key to us when choosing who to support. The show is getting bigger and more and more efficient. The reward for all the hard work is the money we are able to donate which is used locally, which is fantastic. It’s the raison d’etre for the show, really. The support we get from the businesses and trade stands when they find out it is all for charity is outstanding.”
This year’s show date is Sunday 28th June – put the date in your diaries!
