The glamour and sophistication of The Ritz Hotel was recreated in Falmouth when the local branch of Cornwall Hospice Care hosted a fundraising tea party.

Held at the Penmere Manor Hotel, the guests were waited on by six of the nine committee members of the charity’s Falmouth support group who immersed themselves in the spirit of the event.

“We thought it would be a bit of fun to have fishnet tights and the uniform,” said chairman Christine Morris. “We had small tables of six with home made cakes and sandwiches provided by the hotel.”

Guests also entered into The Ritz experience, donning their finest outfits for the afternoon. By the end of the tea party, £726 had been raised for the hospices.

“The afternoon was a resounding success with so many lovely comments,” said Christine. “Lots and lots of the ladies really made a big effort - lovely summer dresses with fascinators and hats and pashminas. There was such a lovely atmosphere too.”

The Falmouth Support Group of Cornwall Hospice Care, which raises money for St Julia’s and Mount Edgcumbe hospices, has an exceptional fundraising track record, averaging between £32,000 and £35,000 a year.

It organises a fundraiser every month, apart from July and August, and only last month brought in £1,100 with a performance by the Three GPs at the Maritime Museum in Falmouth.

“We have a strong support group who come to most of the things we do,” said Christine. “It is just hard to think of different things to do to raise money.”

The group’s next event will be a coffee morning to be held on the lawn of St Mary’s Church in Falmouth, or indoors if wet, between 10.30am and noon on June 7.