YORKSHIRE Building Society is asking Ilkley residents to give the gift of time this Christmas for its final Hour of Need campaign activity in aid of Marie Curie.

The campaign was launched in 2014 with the original aim of raising £500,000 by the end of December 2016. Thanks to the strength of support this was reached early with the Society now more than doubling this figure, with the current total standing at more than £1million.

Every £20 raised funds one hour of Marie Curie nursing care and customers and colleagues at the Yorkshire Building Society branch in Ilkley have so far funded 79 hours of care by contributing £1,598 to the campaign.

To get in the seasonal spirit and give the campaign a festive farewell, the branch, on Station Plaza, will be hosting a Christmas Winter Warmer Day on Friday, December 9 where people can enjoy some hot drinks and festive treats from the Society.

People can show their support for Marie Curie and spread a little festive cheer by buying a set of the charity’s Christmas tree decorations with all proceeds supporting the Hour of Need campaign.

Lola Rowe, a Marie Curie Hospice Nurse, said: “I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the customers and members of staff at Yorkshire Building Society who have contributed so far to the Hour of Need fundraising campaign for Marie Curie. Through their donations myself and my colleagues have been able to provide even more support to people in their hour of need.”

Anthony Pinder, manager of the Ilkley branch of Yorkshire Building Society, said: “We’re so proud that customers in Ilkley have helped us to make this the Society’s most successful ever national fundraising campaign. We hope our customers will call in to help support our final Hour of Need campaign event and help us give the gift of time this Christmas to terminally ill people and their families across the country.”

If you would like to make a donation in support of the Hour of Need campaign, visit www.justgiving.com/hourofneed. If you or your family are affected by terminal illness and looking for support or just want to talk, call the free confidential Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309. The Marie Curie Support Line will be open from December 24 to January 3, including Christmas Day.