A community picnic brought together residents at a children’s hospice in Beckton.

The afternoon event, which was organised by Richard House Children’s Hospice and Community Links, included a bouncy castle, face painting, balloon modelling and an artist’s corner.

The idea was to engage the local community with the work of Richard House and about 50 people, including Richard House families, attended.

Peter Ellis, chief executive of the hospice, said: “We were delighted to see so many new faces at the hospice as well as our families and children.

“The feedback has all been really positive and it’s certainly something we will look to do again in the future.

“We wish to engage with our community in East London and beyond and this is the first step towards doing this.”

Richard House provides support to almost 300 families caring for children with life-limiting, life-threatening and complex healthcare needs. It needs to raise �2.7m a year to keep running.