IT is so easy to look around and despair at the world we live in.

Man-made death and destruction are part of the daily diet fed to us by the media, whether it be global, nationwide, or just around the corner.

People can be horrible, unimaginably so at times.

But we must remember as the bad news grabs our attention whether we like it or not, that there are many more who spend much of their lives working hard to do good deeds, quietly in the background.

In Bolton there are a huge number of voluntary organisations, manned by people who want to make a positive difference for no financial reward.

This newspaper has spent much of its 151 years shining a light on such organisations - and often campaigning on their behalf.

In the 33 years I have been a regional journalist, the amazing work done by so many in our town has greatly impressed me.

And now I am in the privileged position to take an even closer look at one of our town’s most valuable services, Bolton Hospice.

Last week I was proud to become one of the 10 trustees on the hospice board.

It has always been an institution close to my heart.

From a professional point of view, The Bolton News – with my involvement as a reporter at the time - was there right at the beginning.

We were right behind the fund-raising campaign 26 years ago to get the building up and running.

When I was editor I was keen that we got involved to support hospice appeals.

And over the years, the hospice has gone from strength to strength thanks to the hard work of an army of dedicated volunteers, top quality staff, management team and committed trustees.

It provides a host of services, from traditional palliative care in the most comfortable and friendly surroundings, to hospice at home, education and training, bereavement support and carers support - to name just a few.

It takes £3.7 million a year to keep the 18-bed facility, situated just off Chorley New Road, going.

That means a lot of fund-raising and the figure is a daunting one indeed.

But it is vital that the people of Bolton understand that although (obviously) large donations are welcome and received with delight, every amount given to the charity makes a difference.

A recent new addition to the website illustrates this point perfectly.

The ‘Impact Calculator’ is an easy way to understand how even the smallest sum of money can help; it details the positive effect a specific donation will have on the service.

If you haven’t already, please take a moment to have a look and think about the wonderful work done by Bolton Hospice.

Remember - any donation, no matter how small, has a positive impact on the patients.

The hospice has been going strong for more than a quarter of a century.

It shows how thousands of good people working together can do so much to help so many in Bolton.

It is a truly inspiring story ... why not become part of it?

To find out more, visit www.boltonhospice.org.uk