A HOSPICE is marking its 35th anniversary with 350 special edition bottles of York Gin being sold for £35 each.

Each 70cl bottle of award-winning London Dry Gin will raise £3.50 for the charity.

The bottles – with specially-designed labels – are actually £1 cheaper than the normal York Gin price so they are expected to be snapped up in record time.

St Leonard’s Hospice, in York, is an independent charity, providing specialist palliative care and support for local people with life-limiting illnesses. Its running costs are £5.8 million a year, meaning that it must continually find new ways of raising funds to allow its vital work to continue.

The first ever hospice In-patient was admitted on February 11, 1985. However, the hospice was ‘officially’ opened with a ceremony on June 1, 1985 by HRH the Duchess of Kent.

The York Gin Company makes all its award-winning spirits in Acaster Malbis just 2.5 miles from the hospice. The company has supported St Leonard’s in a variety of ways since it launched in 2018.

Marissa Stephenson-Stewart, fundraising manager at St Leonard’s Hospice, said: “We are delighted to be working with York Gin, a brand that has become iconic in York and further afield in such a short space of time.

“St Leonard’s, on the other hand, has been caring for the people of York and the surrounding areas for 35 years. It is fundraising support such as this, by individuals and businesses in the community, that will help this care continue for the next 35 years – and more.”

York Gin co-founder Pete McNichol said: “We have seen at first hand the amazing and inspiring work St Leonard’s does every single day of the year.

“When they approached us with the idea of the 35th birthday gin, we didn’t give it a second thought.

“We’re delighted to help in whatever way we can. Raising a glass while raising funds seems like a pretty great idea.”

The special edition York Gin will be available from the York Gin shop on Pavement opposite M&S in York City Centre from March 19.