AN ambitious bid to raise half a million pounds to help fund the running of a new cancer centre has reached its halfway point.

Macmillan Cancer Support is spearheading the appeal to raise £500,000 for The Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre, which is currently being built at Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital.

Fundraisers include six mums who have banded together to form a fundraising group – and they hope to raise more than £10,000 towards the appeal.

Overall, the appeal has reached a landmark £250,000 and Nicki Wilkinson from Brompton, who chairs the Macmillan Northallerton Appeal Events Committee, said: “The new centre will make a huge difference to people diagnosed with cancer and those around them; it’ll provide state-of-the-art facilities closer to home for people in the Northallerton area.

“We’re holding a few events throughout the year but the big one will be our charity ball at Thirsk Racecourse in September.”

Other fundraising activity has included a charity music event, the Jazz Train, collections and sponsored challenges – including a ‘Mighty Hike’ by Nicky Hand, the lead cancer nurse at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.