THEY go by the name of the Warrington WITCHES but don’t let the name fool you.

Three business women, from Culcheth, have united to dedicate what little spare time they have to good use and raise money for Claire House Children’s Hospice.

Beth Wheatley, Sarah Lott and Peta Carter hope to conjure up much-needed funds for the hospice, which provides respite and end-of-life care for children and young adults with life-limiting medical conditions as part of the Women In Touch with Claire House group.

Sarah, aged 42, who opened The Jungle playcentre on Winwick Road in 2005, said: “It’s about giving something back to this great cause. It’s really flexible so you can give as much or as little time as you can.

“But it’s also about business women meeting up and sharing advice and talking through perhaps any problems you may have at work.”

The group have not fixed any meeting dates but hope to organise a number of fundraising events and trips throughout the year.

Sarah, who opened a second playcentre in Skelmersdale in 2012 following the success of her first, said: “It’s a great way to raise money and get support from other women who you can share information and tips with.”

Every day, Claire House needs more than £6,500 to cover its cost of care and administration, which is around £2.7million a year.

With little guaranteed Government funding, the hospice relies on the generosity of the public.

Last year, their Liverpool counterparts, the Wirral WITCHES raised more than £40,000 for Claire House.

Peta, aged 54, who has worked at Scoop Ice Cream Cafe since 2007 when it first opened, is urging other women to come forward and join the group.

She said: “It would be great to raise this much money. Everybody knows someone who has been supported by Claire House and they need the support from us so they can keep on going.”

To join the Warrington WITCHES e-mail Beth on Beth.Wheatley@aaronandpartners.com.