A BAKER'S dozen is one way in which a South Lakeland business is helping a huge fund-raising drive.

The owner of the Apple Pie bakery and caf in Ambleside, David Fielding, is donating the cost of 13 sandwiches to this weekend's Turning the Tables campaign in aid of New Holehird.

Turning the Tables was launched to give Lake District hoteliers and restaurateurs an opportunity to help the New Holehird appeal.

They are being asked to donate funds that are equivalent to an item of food or drink.

Donations can vary from as little as the cost of two desserts, right up to the equivalent of a number of covers from a particular night in a restaurant.

English Lakes Hotels has already pledged the cost of the meals of three couples at the newly-refurbished Windermere Restaurant at the Low Wood Hotel, while the team behind the Let's Dine Out dining club is giving ten per cent of the cost of a book of discount dining vouchers bought before September 19.

The Gilpin Lodge at Crook, the Drunken Duck at Ambleside, Lindeth Fell Hotel and Holbeck Ghyll at Windermere, the Grasmere Hotel, and Kendal wine merchant Frank Stainton have already pledged their support for Turning the Tables.

This week two more eateries came on board L'Enclume, the restaurant with rooms at Cartmel, and the Wateredge Inn at Ambleside.

New Holehird is trying to raise £2.8 million to keep open the Windermere home which has been under threat of closure since the national charity, Leonard Cheshire, announced it was being forced to pull out of the house in 2007 or 2008.

One of the Turning the Tables organisers, Andy Hill, of Grasmere's Jumble Room restaurant, told the Gazette: "More people have decided to come on board, which is great."

Mr Hill suggested some people might have thought that New Holehird was not viable. "But it is going to happen. We will make it happen."

There is still time to support this weekend's Turning the Tables fund-raiser. Call Andy Hill on 015394-35188 or 015394-36088.