ST LUKE’s Hospice have been treated to an early Christmas present after Weaver Valley Housing Trust gifted the Winsford charity a cheque for more than £7000.

Each year Weaver Vale staff nominates a charity for their fundraising efforts and St Luke’s was their top choice for 2013/14, in recognition of the dedication hospice staff display year in year out.

Through various fundraising activities, staff managed to raise a total of £7313.35 for the vital Winsford hospice.

Chris Holland, from Weaver Vale Housing Trust’s Giving Something Back Group, said: “There is a great deal of pride in the local community for St Luke’s, and it’s fair to say that everybody knows somebody who has been touched by their work.

“Weaver Vale staff have enjoyed fundraising for such a worthwhile charity and continue to seek new and different ways to raise money.

“It has certainly filled them with a huge sense of pride to have been able to raise such a fantastic amount to help make St Luke’s work possible.”

A wide range of activities were undertaken including raffles, auctions, staff donations in lieu of Christmas cards, staff party Christmas casino, charity walks, sales of home grown produce, and the sale of key safes, scrap metal and old mobile phone handsets.

The trust also matches funds monies raised by staff for the annual designated charity.

Rhys Edwards, Community & Corporate Fundraiser at St Luke’s Hospice, said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff at Weaver Vale Housing Trust for their hard work over the past year, they have fundraised in a number of ways resulting in a very large donation to the Hospice.

“It’s support like this that enables us to provide such important care for local people.”