An appeal to raise £300,000 towards the opening of a new hospice has smashed through its target with four hours to go before the deadline.
Herriot Hospice Homecare launched a 36-hour appeal at 7am yesterday during which all donations would be doubled by generous match-funders.
The charity was hoping to raise £300,000 towards the multi-million pound cost of turning the old Lambert Hospital in Thirsk into an in-patient hospice - the final funding needed to hopefully open the doors this autumn.
There are no hospice in-patient beds in Hambleton and Richmondshire, and as well as in-patient beds, the new centre would also provide bereavement counselling, and a community hub and cafe.
The charity hit the £300,000 mark just after 2.30pm, with four and a half hours to go before the doubling of the donations, thanks to match-funders, ends at 7pm tonight.
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