A TOP designer has joined efforts to help the town’s Marie Curie Nurses Appeal this Christmas.

Cath Kidston, whose floral kitsch work adorns everything from wallpaper to wellington boots, has come up with a series of designs for Christmas e-cards.

Now the charity is urging people to snap up the designs and send out the electronic cards to friends and family.

Hannah Taylor, community fundraiser for Marie Curie, said: “People can beat the Christmas post and be environmentally friendly by sending a Marie Curie e-card this Christmas, while raising money for the appeal.”

The appeal, backed by The Bolton News, aims to raise £200,000 in Bolton in a year, to fund more free home nursing care for terminally ill people.

But the electronic festive greetings are not the only way the appeal is raising money right now.

The countdown to Christmas is well under way but there is still time to do your bit for the cause.

The Rotary Club of Bolton is collecting donations all this week, which comes after Marie Curie Cancer Care’s own Christmas collections, with the proceeds still being counted.

Members of the Rotary Club of Bolton are at Sainsbury’s in Trinity Street, in the town centre, all this week for their annual Christmas charity collection.

Most of the money made this year will go to the Marie Curie Nurses Appeal — although some will go to other causes.

Volunteers will be in the store until Sunday, between 9am and 4pm each day and 10am and 5pm on Sunday.

Arup Banerjee, chairman of the charity committee of the club, said: “We are trying to help the appeal, we are very much behind it. We are here until the end of the week and I would make an appeal to the people of Bolton to come and make donations.”

Miss Taylor added: “We're very grateful to the Rotary Club for kindly choosing to raise money for our appeal, we do hope shoppers in Sainsbury’s will contribute."

* There are a range of e-cards, including some by designer Cath Kidston, at ecards.mariecurie.org.uk You simply choose yours cards, one for £1, 10 for £5 or 25 for £10, sign up, buy credit, personalise them and send them out.

cherry.thomas@theboltonnews.co.uk