College votes hospice as its No 1 charity

OVER the moon: Lisa Pearson, appeals manager at Dr Kershaw’s is delighted the college has chosen the hospice

DR Kershaw’s Hospice has been voted the official charity for Oldham College in 2012.

Students and staff took part in an online poll to select their charity of choice for this year.

The college has already started its fundraising by making a donation of £350 to the charity in lieu of sending Christmas cards.

This will be followed by both college-led activities and smaller student-led projects. Lisa Pearson, appeals manager at Dr Kershaw’s, said the hospice was “over the moon” to have been selected. She said: “It costs more than £1.7m a year to keep the hospice open and provide the services we do to the people of Oldham and the surrounding areas, so this support is vital to its survival.

“It is also extremely important that we continue to engage with the young people in the area through the college to educate them about the work we do and importance of ensuring the hospice is still here in years to come for them, their families and friends should they need it.”

Alun Francis, college principal, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Dr Kershaw’s as the College’s Charity of the Year 2012.

“The students are always coming up with creative ideas for fundraising activities and by working closely with the hospice we believe it will give them an even greater incentive to get involved and raise as much money as possible.”