SIR: Last November, my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer, and sent for treatment to the Neil Cliffe Cancer Unit at Wythenshawe Hospital. This unit is funded solely by charitable donations.

Both my parents wanted to express their appreciation of the unit, and my mum set about the task of raising some money. Coffee evenings, raffles and car boot sales were organised, together with a tombola held in The Shopping City at Salford. The total raised was £1,250, almost a third of this was raised at the tombola.

Sadly, in April, we found that my dad's condition was terminal, and there was to be no further treatment. From the beginning of June, my mum received help from the Hospice At Home Service which proved invaluable. He had a stay in the Hospice in September, then returned home, and sadly he died in Bolton Hospice in October.

My mum is now already raising money for the Hospice, and wants to raise £1,000 to buy a much needed syringe driver for the Hospice at Home team. She would like to have a tombola stall but cannot find a venue. So may I, through your column, ask any supermarket or precinct manager, if they could give us a space, some time in early 1998, to hold the tombola and help the Hospice.

Kath Barnard

42 Fernside

Ringley, Radcliffe

Manchester, M26 1EQ

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