BEFORE raising the roof in celebration, Acorns Children's Hospice needs its many supporters to 'be a brick' and help put the actual roof on the building.

A final £1.3 million is needed to complete and equip the hospice, as well as recruit and train care and nursing staff as it undergoes its metamorphosis from house to home.

"We know there are many children and families who cannot wait for this hospice to open, giving them the support they so desperately need on their doorstep," says Acorns chief executive John Overton. "Everything needs to be thought of, from making the bedrooms cosy to filling the freezers with food."

Local schools, organisations and individuals are being asked to take part in the 'Be a Brick' poster campaign.

One of the first to sign up will be Scooby, otherwise known as Hereford brickie Paul Lewis, who with his team is laying 70,000 bricks at Acorns. Scooby is already responsible for bricks and mortar at Hereford County Hospital and the SAS camps at Credenhill and Pontrilas.

The posters, drawn by cartoonist Tony Seldon, feature Scooby's cartoon counterpart and a wall of bricks on which people can sign their names and make a suggested minimum donation of £2.

A wall-size 'Be a Brick' poster, with space for 250 names, can also be found in the Acorns charity shop in Eign Gate. For more information or for a poster, call 01905 767676 or visit www.acorns.org.uk