A CHARITY group are preparing for their annual barbecue.

The Cotswold Downs Syndrome Group is hosting the event on Sunday July 16 as the biggest event of their year.

The barbecue also includes activities and entertainment for children such as face painting, a bouncy castle and a juggling performance

The event is held in conjunction with Big Yellow Self Storage in Cheltenham who are helping the charity to store their equipment.

Greg King, charity trustee at The Cotswold Downs Syndrome Group, said: “We are so grateful to the Cheltenham branch for its support.

"By providing the storage unit free of charge, we can ensure our money is spent on our events and activities, which improve the lives of our members.

"Our trustees do amazing work, so it’s important our equipment is well stored and they can access it when they need it."

Neil Arnot, store manager at Big Yellow Self Storage in Cheltenham, added: “We’re always keen to offer our support to local charities.

"When we found out The Cotswold Downs Syndrome Group was struggling to store its equipment, we recognised how we could help.

"The barbecue is its biggest event of the year, so it’s a brilliant opportunity for us to help.”

The charity operates solely from donations, so the provision of free storage at Big Yellow Cheltenham helps keep the administrative costs as low as possible, to ensure all money raised can to go towards supporting the members.

The partnership began earlier this year, when the charity approached Big Yellow in desperate need of storage space.

Equipment was inaccessible when needed, and items were getting lost or damaged. Big Yellow Cheltenham offered a safe and secure environment for all trustees and volunteers to access.

The event takes place Reddings Community Centre in Cheltenham from 12.30pm until 5pm.

For more information, visit http://www.cotswolddownssyndrome.org/