The Archbishop of York has presented cheques of £2,420 each to both St Leonard’s Hospice and his Youth Trust.

The £4,840 was raised earlier this year when the Archbishop opened the gardens at Bishopthorpe Palace to the public for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

A local gala was held in the afternoon for families with lots of stalls, food and a licensed bar. In the evening, tickets sold out with about 1,000 people attending a Party At The Palace event.

The Archbishop of York Youth Trust and St Leonard’s Hospice were chosen to receive profits from the evening as two local charities helping to make a positive impact in the local community.

The Archbishop said: “The Queen’s love and devotion to God and to her people throughout her 60 year reign has set us a fine example of selfless and generous service. I wanted to make the grounds at Bishopthorpe available to local people to come together to celebrate the Jubilee. I am delighted that while we all enjoyed the occasion, we are also making a donation to two charities who will ensure that the whole community, young and old, continue to benefit from the celebrations.”