THE campaign to build an extension to a much-loved hospice has got off to a flying start in the new year with two donations helping inch the appeal closer to its goal.

Last year, St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham City, launched an appeal to open a ten-bed in-patient unit to offer 24-hour specialist palliative care to terminally-ill patients.

Despite setting itself an ambitious target of £3.2m to realise its long-held dream of being able to offer round-the-clock care, dedicated volunteers, backed by generous readers of The Northern Echo, are now within sight of the finishing line.

With building work already under way at the Park House Road site, there is now only £820,000 to go before the dream can be turned into reality and the first patients cross the threshold.

And the money is continuing to pour in, with two of the city's oldest institutions digging deep to help build a new future for the hospice.

On Tuesday, the Freemen of the City of Durham - which has represented the trade guilds of the city since the 15th Century - handed over £5,000 to the Key Appeal.

The donation is the first in recent years by the organisation, which has 78 members in the city and several hundred scattered around the world.

John Heslop, newly-installed chairman of the Freemen, said: "Although we have always had a tradition of charitable giving, it has fallen into abeyance in recent years and we're anxious that the tradition be revived.

"This is the first time we have been able to make a contribution, and we were keen it goes to a cause which is so well-respected in the city."

Then, on Wednesday, the Norman Lodge of Freemasons, one of the oldest lodges in the city, donated £500 to the appeal.

Outgoing lodge master Brian McBride handed over the cheque, money raised by a ladies' night dinner at the Three Tuns Hotel, the scene of the first Norman Lodge dinner in 1870.

Mr McBride said: "This is my last duty before I hand over at the end of my year as master, and it is a nice way to bow out."

St Cuthbert's fundraising volunteer Caroline Broadfoot said: "It has been a fantastic start to the new year and we hope very much that it will continue.

"Any help people can give will be gratefully received because we still have this £820,000 to get."