Appeal smashes £50,000 mark

And this fantastic sum has been reached in just three months.

Schools, businesses and community groups have all helped the appeal by organising fundraising events from fancy dress parties to jazz concerts.

The landmark was reached with the presentation of a cheque for £5,000 from the John Slater Foundation, a locally based charitable organisation.

The appeal will soon be further boosted by the proceeds of last week's hugely successful Grand Millennium Charity Ball.

And pupils at Lytham Hall Park School are rasing funds by having a non-uniform day on Friday (November 26).

Now appeal organisers are hoping other groups will follow their example to help them reach the £2.9 million target.

This week's news delighted Victoria Hospital director of fundraising Elaine Fossett. She said: "We are very pleased to have reached this milestone.

"It is extremely pleasing since we started off with nothing and wondered if we would ever reach the target.

"To reach this amount in such a short space of time makes it all the more wonderful. We have only been doing it formally for three months.

"It makes everything people have done seem that much more worthwhile. We really have had a fantastic response since the appeal started.

"People are always bringing money in to the office and we are receiving a constant stream of donations through the post.

"A lot of community groups have contacted us to tell us they want to help and there are some exciting things planned."

Schools and community groups interested in raising money for the Macmillan Windmill appeal should contact the appeal hotline - (01253) 303145.

And each week The Citizen will be running a Little Champion feature about a young person who has made a special effort to help. Simply contact us on (01253) 729081 if you would like to nominate a boy or girl as a Little Champion.

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