A PIONEERING charity has the chance to double its donations for one week.

The Neuromuscular Centre (NMC) has been chosen as one of 20 charities to be supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation this Christmas.

This is part of the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2018, where for one week all donations up to £25,000 to the charity will be doubled.

This exclusive matched funding challenge marks the end of the foundation's 60th anniversary year.

Matthew Lanham, NMC chief executive, said:“We are delighted to have been selected as one of just 20 charities to benefit from the Garfield Weston Foundation’s Big Give this year.

"The Foundation was one of our major funders for our building expansion completed just a year ago.

"The Big Give and the amazing doubling of donations made helps us to galvanise our generous and committed supporters into raising money so we can utilise our wonderful new building to help even more people with neuromuscular conditions.

"It really helps us to put a focus on pre-Christmas giving and, by seeking £3000 to pay for NMC for a day, we hope that everyone who gives will feel a greater and more tangible sense of achievement”.

The centre provides a unique combination of life enhancing opportunities and support for people affected by muscular dystrophy, a progressive muscle-wasting condition.

Hundreds of families across Cheshire and the north west received support. The centre relies almost entirely upon public donations to keep the centre running.

The centre provides a range of services including physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, supported training and employment opportunities, as well as information, support and advice to more than 1,200 patients.#

It costs around £3,000 to run the centre each day and provide these life enhancing services.

NMC aims to raise £1500 in individual donations and £1500 in match funding, to cover the costs of running the centre for one whole day.

Donations up to the value of £25,000 will be matched, and a grand total of £50,000 would mean that NMC can support people with neuromuscular conditions by offering 340 hours of employment opportunities in the NMC social enterprise design and print, six days of training in courses such as graphic design, music and animation,as well as physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and/or supported gym access for around 230 people.

To donate visit secure.thebiggive.org.uk/project/30977 during the Big Give Christmas Challenge 2018 between November 27 and December 4. .