Charities show the publicthe services they offer

People gathered at Ferneham Hall for the One Community event which had 70 exhibitors including child bereavement charity Simon Says, Live Well with COPD, which helps people living with respiratory problems, and the Rotary Club of Whiteley.

Solent Sounds and Fareham Philharmonic choirs were among those who entertained crowds throughout the day while country market stalls provided cakes, pastries and jams.

Hayley Hamlett, from One Community said: ‘One Community is a charity which supports volunteer-led services to help secure funding, gain more volunteers and advise them on governance. No matter how big the service is, if it’s local we can help.’

Stalls were dotted throughout the venue and offered activities, leaflets and a few volunteers to explain the work their service provided.

FASS (Family Autistic Spectrum Support) assists families who have a child with autism and offers support as well as arranging activities such as paddle-boarding, kayaking and rock-climbing for all the family.

Penny Smith, a volunteer at FASS, said: ‘We advise families about autism and organise exclusive activities.

‘This event is important for us to get the word out and that we can help. We are always looking for new members to join us.’

The FASS stall also featured a virtual reality headset which allowed the user to experience a busy shopping centre from an autistic child’s point of view.

Councillor Sean Woodward said: ‘The work which One Community does is very valuable. It is all about bringing the community together and hopefully they are going to find some more volunteers through the event.

‘There are a lot of people in Fareham looking for something to help with and this is a really good way to do that.’

Hayley added: ‘This event was about community engagement so the general public learn what is available to support them.’