A GREAT grandmother, whose relative perished on the Titanic, has donated 20 booklets about the ill-fated liner to raise money for Bolton Hospice.

The hospice cared for Nora Darbyshire’s late husband, Harry, in 2007 before he died from bowel cancer at the age of 83 in and now wants to thank the hospice.

She wants to raise money for the Hospice at Home Ap peal and thought that the unit’s 20th anniversary year and the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic was an ideal time to do so. The Bolton News launched the Hospice at Home Appeal to raise £110,000 for one of the hospice’s lesser-known services. It has already raised £10,000.

Instead of receiving presents on her 80th birthday, Mrs Darbyshire asked for donations which raised £300 for the cause and now hopes the booklets will boost the appeal further.

It will pay for an extra team of nurses to care for the terminally ill in their own homes.

Mrs Darbyshire, from Daisy Hill, has always been interested in the Titanic after hearing stories as a child from her great-grandfather about his cousin, who was among the 1,500 people who died when it sank.

Over the years she has collected eye-witness accounts, poems and copies of some original White Star Line materials, including a luggage label.

“When I read about the appeal in The Bolton News I decided to donate something about the Titanic and made these booklets,”

she said.

“I was 12 when my great- grandfather died.”

Mrs Darbyshire’s booklets are now on sale in the hospice’s gift shop.

Alice Atkinson, fundraising manager at the hospice, said: “We receive many wonderful donations and I’m sure Mrs Darbyshire’s unique books will be popular with our supporters.

“These donated books are being sold in the gift shop on site at the hospice, which sells new gifts, cards and hospice merchandise alongside donated items.”

● To make a donation to hospice’s charity shops, call the fundraising office on 01204 663055 or email shopsco- ordinator@boltonho pice.org.