The fair, which will be held today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will be officially opened by vice-chairman of the Hospitals Board Mr.Clement Talbot.

Staff members will be giving various half hour tours of different areas in the hospital which will take place in the morning and afternoon.

The public will be able to see departments such as the Diabetes Centre, the dietitians area and the blood bank.

Visitors will also be able to see the Oncology area, the recompression chamber, the fracture clinic, the X-ray department, the morgue and several other departments.

And a full series of lectures are scheduled in the first floor conference room throughout the day.

Children will be given special tours of the ambulances and will also be entertained by a Kids on the Block puppet show in the children's ward.

Displays and demonstrations will also be set up in the main foyer of the Hospital, offering free tests for blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar for anyone who's interested.

All areas of the hospital that are open to the public during the day will be marked with red hearts to differentiate them from areas that have had to be kept private for reasons of security and hygiene.

A hospital spokesperson said: "This is the first time that the hospital has held an open house and members of the staff have volunteered to come in on their day off to man their stations, take tours and answer questions.'' Fair organiser Ms Debbie Jones said: "To many, a hospital is a forbidding place.

"We want people to see for themselves that it is not only a superbly equipped institution but also the place where many of their fellow Bermudians spend their working days and nights.'' 10 a.m. Opening of Health Fair, opening remarks, tour 4. Lecture: Women's Hospital Auxiliary -- Conference Room.

10.30 a.m. Children's tour of ambulance, tour 2 (every half hour).

10.45 a.m. Lecture -- Operating Room -- Conference Room.

11 a.m. Tour 1 (every half hour), tour 3 (every half hour) tour 4.

11.30 a.m. Children's tour of ambulance. Lecture: The Hospice -- Conference Room.

12.15 p.m. Lecture: Emergency Department -- Conference Room.

1 p.m. Kids on the Block puppet show -- Children's Ward play room.

1.30 p.m. CPR demonstration -- ECU upper activities lounge, tour 2, clown activities -- Children's Ward play area.

1.45 p.m. Lecture: Oncology -- first floor Conference Room.

2 p.m. Tour 1 (every half hour), tour 4.

2.30 p.m. Ambulance Tour, Lecture: Dialysis -- first floor Conference Room.

3 p.m. Kids on the Block puppet show.

3.15 p.m. Lecture: Dietitians -- first floor Conference Room.