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A gr-eight start to our appeal year

20/ 6/2008

THE Rochdale Observer appeal for Springhill Hospice is almost a third of the way to its target.

In our bid to raise £25,000 to refurbish the in-patient department, our total now stands at about £8,000.

The biggest single contributors so far have been the students at Hopwood Hall College, who raised £2,380.

Fans at the Rochdale v Darlington play-off match raised another £900 by buying our foam hands and people donating via our Just Giving site have contributed £770.

The official total raised stands at £7,522.99, but money raised from reporter Helen Johnson’s 10km run – which stands at about £300 – and the last week’s public donations still need to be added to the total.

With that money to be added, the total is approaching £8,000 – and counting.

Acting Observer editor Paul Harrison said: "The response so far has been fantastic – but the appeal is far from over.

"We want more people, businesses and organisations to get involved.

"If anyone is holding an event, let us know and we’ll feature it in the Observer.

"And the group that raises the most money will get a special Acorn award from the hospice.

"Hopwood Hall students have set a stiff target but I’m sure someone out there can beat it.

"We have until next May to raise the money, so I am confident we can set new highs.

"And who knows, maybe we’ll have enough to refurbish more than one in-patient bay.

"Please keep up the good work."