Smartphone app will help hospice

Buy photos » Sophie Carrier, Phillippa Jones of St Richard’s Hospice and Andrea Borwell-Fox are encouraging phone users to download the Bling My Bear app. (s)

SMARTPHONE users can now download a fun mobile phone app to help raise cash for St Richard’s Hospice.

The charity has launched ‘Bling My Bear’ with the support of Malvern-based software company Borwell and believes it’s the first hospice in the country to introduce a fund-raising app.

The project has also been supported by 18-year-old Sophie Carrier from Great Witley who contributed to the project as part of her graphic design studies.

The app allows users to dress a bear using a selection of outfits and accessories such as hats, shoes and even a St Richard’s Hospice t-shirt.

Fund-raising director Tricia Cavell said, “We are really excited about Bling my Bear! It’s utterly adorable, you can dress it again and again, plot the bear’s travels on a map and even earn achievement points as you play.”

The app costs 69p from iTunes and will be available for android mobile phones later this year.