HAMPSHIRE’S eight top vineyards, which produce sparkling and still wine, brought their Fairy Lights & Fizz evening to Winchester’s Courtyard Room at the Guildhall.

The award-winning sparkling wines of Black Chalk, Cottonworth, Exton Park, Hambledon, Hattlingley, Jenkyn Place, Raimes and Danebury’s still wines were enjoyed, with an opportunity to stock up their wine racks or cellars with festive fizz.

The event was held in aid of the Murray Parish Trust with a proportion of ticket sales going to the charity.

Charity founder Jim Murray was there to open the event.

The charity launched its #2millionsteps campaign in June 2016 and earlier this year reached its £2 million target in partnership with Southampton Hospital Charity.

The £4.8 million Children’s Emergency and Trauma Department will open at Southampton General next year and will have a state-of-the-art eight-bed observation area, 11 glass-fronted and sound proof cubicles and on-hand X-ray facilities.

It will also include a reception, triage and waiting area for young patients, access to resuscitation facilities, a nurse practitioner room and children’s assessment unit.

The new facility is expected to see more than 30,000 youngsters every year from across Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Berkshire, West Sussex, Channel Islands and Oxfordshire.

While guests sipped from glasses of Hampshire sparkling wine they could also enjoy admiring the art on sale from the Alresford Arts Festival, and savour local charcuterie from Parsonage Farm.

Caroline Stevens, of Danebury Vineyards, said: “

We were delighted that Jim Murray of the The Murry Parish Trust opened the event for us and look forward to holding our Fairy Lights & Fizz event in Winchester next year.”