Cash bagged for children's hospice (From The Northern Echo)

Cash bagged for children's hospice

2:20pm Tuesday 21st February 2012 in Durham City News

VOLUNTEERS raised £1,000 towards the cost of opening a children’s hospice by packing bags for shoppers.

A team of volunteers from Grace House spent Saturday helping customers at Sainsbury’s, in the Arnison Centre, Durham City to raise money for the cause.

They were joined at short notice by Tom Parker, Tom Kelly, Daniel Hodgson and Steven Start, four helpers from The Hermitage Academy, in Chester-le-Street, The long-running campaign to open the region’s first dedicated children’s hospice is nearing completion, with building work on Grace House, in Southwick, Sunderland, due to be finished by the end of May.

Fundraising will then continue to meet the centre’s staffing and equipment costs.

Regional fund raiser Michele Keeler said: "I would like to thank all the customers who donated money to Grace House and all our volunteers who gave up their time - they were absolutely brilliant".