A PARTY in the park is being held in the grounds of Spetchley Park on Sunday, July 13 in memory of Simon Culpitt, a 43-years-old Worcestershire businessman and sportsman who died last year from Motor Neurone disease.

Visitors are being invited to bring a picnic and enjoy alfresco vintage music on the grand lawns in front of the Bath stone Georgian mansion, which lies a couple of miles east of Worcester, to honour Mr Culpitt, who completed a major cycling event only weeks before being taken ill.

The event is being organised by the Worcestershire and Gloucestershire branches of the Motor Neurone Disease Association and co-ordinated by Richard and Nicky Sadler, who live at Newent. The couple have planned the event in memory of Mr Culpitt, who was Mr Sadler's best friend and lived in Droitwich, studied at King's School Worcester and ran the family business Cupitt Jewellers in Bromsgrove. He was a keen cyclist and triathlete and was diagnosed just weeks after completing the 2011 Etape du Tour, a stage of the Tour de France.

Mr Sadler said: "We wanted to find a fun way to help raise some money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, something a little different that would hopefully attract a broad audience too and appeal to families. Simon was a great dancer and a brilliant family man, he would have loved grooving along to the band we booked. We’re sure the combination of beautiful gardens, a lovely marquee by the lake, picnic and great music should make for a great afternoon and we hope to raise awareness of this wicked disease and raise some much needed funds for the MNDA.”

Music for the event will be supplied by The Lurchers, who specialise in vintage rhythm and blues with both male and female singers. They will be playing for two hours starting at 3pm.

Entrance is £10 per person, children under 16 free, includes access to the gardens from 2pm and a complimentary glass of fizz on arrival. Teas and coffees will be available in

a marquee. For further information contact Nicky Sadler 01531 828252