THE organisers of Helensburgh's annual Stand Up To Cancer family festival have announced a date – and a new venue – for the 2019 event.

This year's festival will take place at Hermitage Academy on Sunday, August 18 from 12 noon until 4pm.

The decision to move the event from its previous home at Helensburgh Rugby Club's Ardencaple grounds comes after bad weather affected both the 2017 and 2018 events.

READ MORE: Wind and rain cancel Helensburgh's Stand Up To Cancer festival

Alison Sturgeon, assistant manager at the Cancer Research UK shop in Helensburgh, whose team organises the event, said: "We have decided to bring the date forward and to have it mostly indoors as the weather spoiled our first festival and completely cancelled last year’s event .

"There will be live music and dance numbers on stage, stalls, a barbecue, arts and crafts etc in the hall.

"The Drakes of Hazzard Sheepdog Display, KG Hawks, the Animal Man Mini Zoo will be situated on the grass near the school car park.

"Our ever popular stilt Walking Juggler will be attending along with lots of other exciting family entertainment.

"As always, our aim is to raise as much money for our Stand Up To Cancer Campaign which all 600 CRUK shops are invited to take part in, each autumn.

"Our Helensburgh shop has been 'top shop' two years running with the phenomenal amount we have raised. This is only possible because of the tremendous community support we receive.

READ MORE: Helensburgh shop is best in UK for Stand Up To Cancer support

"A few local businesses are kind enough to sponsor our children’s entertainers and many of our performers donate their services for free.

"Our budget is zero. This is organised on a voluntary basis by the Cancer Research UK Shop in Helensburgh to enable is to do our part in standing up to cancer.

"It’s also wonderful to know that our area can pull together so well and bring off such an amazing family event.

"There are 599 other CRUK shops who don’t do anything like this and we are extremely proud of our achievements.

"Lots of local businesses and organisations lend a hand either by sponsorship, donating food, printing or equipment, or running a stall themselves.

"We have invited the school PTA to sell beverages at the festival to raise funds for the school and we will shortly be contacting local charities, sports clubs and stallholders to invite them to take part in our indoor event in order to raise money for themselves."

READ MORE: Crowds brave the rain at Helensburgh's 2017 Stand Up To Cancer festival

Stall pitches at the festival cost £20 each, with every penny going towards Helensburgh's contribution to the UK-wide Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

Further details between now and August will be posted on the Helensburgh Stand Up To Cancer page on Facebook.

Alison added: "We are keen to hear from anyone who would like to sponsor, volunteer or support our event in any way possible."

Entry fees for the event will be £5 for adults, £3.50 for children and £15 for a family ticket of two adults and up to four children, while children aged three and under will get in free.

Stand Up To Cancer raises money for translational research into cancer, which turns clinical trials into treatments for cancer patients.

To find out more, or volunteer your help in organising the event, call the Helensburgh CRUK shop on 01436 674547, pop into the shop at 2 Sinclair Street, or send a message via the Facebook page.