A MAYOR is urging children to design him a charity Christmas card to raise funds for a vital day centre for Alzheimer’s sufferers in Richmondshire.

Cllr Russell Lord, mayor of Richmond, would like to use a card designed by a child from a local school for his personal card, and will chose six more to be sold as charity cards for Garget Walker House, in Richmond.

Linda Curran, from Richmondshire Community and Voluntary Action, was also working to raise much-needed funds for Garget Walker House, which provides respite for carers, activities, trips and therapy for dementia sufferers.

Cllr Lord said: “Linda and I both had a similar idea to make the mayor’s Christmas card a fundraising exercise this year. I wanted to have a card designed by a local child, and Linda was working to raise funds for Garget Walker House.

“It is a very important charity and the only one of its kind for Richmondshire so we want to do all we can to support it.”

Cllr Lord said he would give away two tickets to the Georgian Theatre Royal’s pantomime, Snow White, to the top prize winner.

Mrs Curran said: “Garget Walker House has been working off a legacy left behind some years ago and now we need to really start fundraising to boost funds.

“It costs around £22,000 a year to fund everything the centre does but it only gets around £8,000 in donations.”

Eden Porritt, eight, said it was a bit early for her to feel excited for Christmas but she was looking forward to designing a card.

“I’m going to tell all my friends, I would love to win tickets for the pantomime.”