VILLAGERS have been thanked for their ‘extraordinary’ generosity in helping to raise almost £6,000 for St Luke’s Hospice over the past few months.

The Holmes Chapel Support Group, which has been dedicated to raising funds for the hospice for more than 30 years, has enjoyed a bumper summer of fundraising.

Events have included a street collection in the village, golf day and summer concert.

In addition the group has received donations from the funerals of two well-known residents, an 80th birthday and golden wedding celebration.

Dennis Eborall, chairman of the support group, said: “Over recent months Holmes Chapel residents have been extraordinarily generous in their donations to St Luke’s Hospice.

“The group would like to pass on their heartfelt thanks to all concerned.

“The recent street collection in the village raised £543. We received £700 from the funeral of Polly Howkins, a much-loved Holmes Chapel resident and £675 from the funeral of Roy Porter, who was Holmes Chapel Support Group treasurer for a number of years.

“We also received £1,100 in donations from the 80th birthday celebration of David Monks, who has raised considerable sums over the years by opening his garden in support of St Luke’s.

“One of our supporters, Alan Imrie, raised £1,480 with a Golf Day. We received £327 from the closure of the Holmes Chapel Ladies’ Probus and £265 from the Holmes Chapel Chorus Summer Concert, plus numerous other donations.

“The Holmes Chapel Support Group was established more than 30 years ago, before the hospice was even built, and it is still going strong.

“We are very grateful for the amazing level of support for St Luke’s from the residents of Holmes Chapel. Long may it continue.”

Angela Slack, Community Partnerships Manager for St Luke’s, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone in Holmes Chapel who has helped to raise such an amazing amount of money towards patient care here at St Luke’s.

“The hospice simply couldn’t stay open without the help of our supporters and we are so thankful for the continued fundraising by the Holmes Chapel Support Group.

“Their unwavering dedication and determination to raise money for the hospice over the past 30 years is just amazing and we can never thank them enough.”