A GIANT hippo which toured the hostelries of Durham over Christmas has helped raise £1,000 for a hospice.
The creature, which has become the unofficial mascot of the City of Durham Lions Club, travelled with volunteers to hotels which were hosting Christmas parties.
The club ran a number of raffles and fundraising events in the run-up to Christmas, raising a total of £4,000.
Yesterday, members of the club handed over £1,000 to St Cuthbert's Hospice, which is trying to raise money to open a ten-bed extension offering round-the-clock specialist palliative care.
Other donations made by the Lions this month include £500 to the international Sight First programme, which aims to eradicate preventable blindness, £300 to the Dyslexia Institute, in Durham City, and £250 to the local talking newspaper.
The Durham Lions, who meet on the second and fourth Monday of the month at The Daleside Arms, Croxdale, are looking to recruit more members to help with future fundraising.
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