A CAMPAIGN to raise more than £1m to buy a retreat, used by hundreds of people each year, has achieved more than £5,000 in 24 hours.

The million pound campaign to purchase the 'Centre of Health and Pastoral Care' at Holy Rood House and Gardens in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was launched earlier this year.

Holy Rood House, which has been a registered charity since the 1990s, offers sixteen temporary bedrooms to people and groups, who may require a break from their day-to-day lives.

The charity relies on donations from those who stay, financial partners, surrounding organisations and grant-making trusts.

Bosses said its main focus on "health and well-being", continued to attract hundreds of guests, who each pay a suggested donation to stay at the house.

Helen Warwick, who works at Holy Rood House, said: "We work as a community – we provide health and pastoral care where for people who come from across the country – it's a holistic approach."

The charity currently rents Holy Rood House, but through fundraising it hopes it can raise a total of £1.25m to "secure its future" and purchase the premises.

Raising more than £5,000 over a weekend, a 24-hour music marathon with bands from across North Yorkshire was recently hailed a success.

Ms Warwick said: "We wanted to raise funds through this event.

"At the moment we run Holy Rood House and we have been given the chance to buy it – we need to buy it to secure our future.

"We don't have a timeframe in which to raise the money but obviously the quicker the better.

"We had a programme of allsorts, a variety of music."

The music marathon, which was opened by the Mayor of Thirsk Hazel Dalgleish-Brown, took place in the town centre, St Oswald's Church in Sowerby and Holy Rood House.

Among the many North Yorkshire musicians, The Royal British Legion band played as members of the public followed them back to the Holy Rood House.

Ms Warwick added: "So we are still counting and getting the money in. We have done really well – it's been very exciting, it has been an exhilarating event, we've had a lot of positive comments. Guests said they bawled over by what was on."

For more information visit

holyroodhouse.org.uk