Proving they are not just dab hands behind the wheel, British A1GP aces Robbie Kerr and Oliver Jarvis took time out from their preparations for the final round of the 2006-07 campaign at Brands Hatch this weekend to lend their support to the Demelza House charity.

An organisation providing hospice care for children with life-limiting conditions and their families across Kent, East Sussex and South London, Demelza House welcomed Kerr and Jarvis to their hospice in Sittingbourne where they had the honour of opening the new Teenage Inclusion Zone (TIZ) while meeting some of the children and families who benefit from the charity's work.

The drivers followed that up with an appearance at Friday night's 'The Flying Finale Charity Ball', hosted jointly by Demelza and A1 Team GB at Brands Hatch. Team principal John Surtees provided some of the evening's entertainment as a guest speaker, while renowned chef Brian Turner served up some 'Best of British' cuisine.

Kerr and Jarvis were on-hand to greet guests at a champagne reception following their domination of Friday practice as they aim to make Britain the first nation in the series' history to triumph on home turf. Both lapped comfortably more than half a second clear of the nearest opposition throughout the practice sessions.

“It was a fantastic eye-opener for me,” former British F3 Champion Kerr said of his visit to the hospice. “The work undertaken there is just amazing and it was really interesting to see it first-hand. The children have amazing personalities and you can see how the families benefit from everything Demelza does. Olly and I really enjoyed spending time with the kids and hopefully we've helped to raise a bit more awareness for Demelza.”

“Robbie and I were very fortunate to be invited down to Demelza House,” added Jarvis. “It was a great experience to see for ourselves what the team has been supporting and how the fundraising helps. There's so much time and effort put in by so many people behind the scenes at Demelza; it really opened my eyes to what they do.

“It was a privilege to meet the children there and everyone else who works to make it such a great place. Hopefully last night's ball helped to raise more money for them so they can keep doing a fantastic job!”

Services offered by Demelza include Hospice at Home care, Hospice Care, Planned Short Breaks, Emergency Respite, Therapies, Symptom Control, End of Life Care and Bereavement Support. These services are currently provided through Demelza House, an eight-bedded hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent and Demelza-James, a hospice at home service operating in East Sussex, West Kent and South London. Demelza currently cares for approximately 450 children and families across those regions, with 300 benefiting from the services at Demelza House and the remaining 150 the Demelza-James hospice at home service.