STAFF at a leading North-East law firm raised more than £2,000 for a hospice by filling charity bags.

Staff at Dickinson Dees offices in Tees Valley, York and Newcastle raised the money for St Oswald’s Hospice, in Gosforth, near Newcastle, by filling more than 100 charity bags with clothes and bric-a-brac. These will now be sold at St Oswald’s charity shops across the region.

Robin Bloom, senior partner of Dickinson Dees, in Newcastle, said: “I would like to say a big thanks to all our staff who contributed to this excellent cause.

“To raise more than £2,000 is a tremendous effort and the response was overwhelming. The money raised will make a real difference and everyone who contributed should be proud.”

Anita Irving, community fundraising manager for St Oswald’s, said: “We are extremely grateful to Dickinson Dees for taking the time and trouble to give us their old clothes and other useful, saleable items.

“Our retail staff have valued the contents of the 101 bags at £2,309, which is a fantastic result.”

St Oswald’s provides hospice care for adults and children with life-limiting conditions.

The annual running costs exceed £7m – of which £5m must be raised through voluntary giving.