EVERYONE pulled out all the stops on Friday evening for a gala musical extravaganza to celebrate Derian House's fifth birthday.

Celebration Classics was staged in front of nearly 2,000 people at Preston's Guild Hall and was hosted by Coronation Street's Sue Nicholls who plays Audrey Roberts. The concert featured the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and international pianist Kathryn Stott who played one of the world's favourite concertos - Rachmaninov's second.

Also appearing were the wonderful Kinder Children's Choir whose poignant singing brought tears to the eyes of many members of the audience. All the artistes gave their time free of charge for the event which will have raised more than £10,000.

It is difficult to believe that some 1,500 families in Lancashire alone have at least one child with a terminal or life-threatening illness.

They go on caring for the child they love with the heartache of knowing that all too soon they could lose them.

Derian House is a haven to provide these children with the maximum amount of fun, happiness and friendship in their short lives.

It opened in October 1993 and has cared for not only the poorly children but also their families.

Derian is currently supporting 300 families in the North West. There is no charge for the hospice care provided but this means that Derian needs donations of around £800,000 a year.

This is no easy task for Derian's band of fund-raisers, volunteers and supporters. So why don't you come up with a fund-raising idea for Derian or simply make a donation by calling Chorley 271271.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.