A REMARKABLE band of dedicated fundraisers who have donated more than £100,000 to a York charity have been nominated for a Community Pride award.

The four women - Pat Hardy, Dianne Fairclough, Judith Murgatroyd and Brenda Dobson - are known as "Charlie's Angels" in honour of the MS patient who inspired their campaign.

Since they started work 22 years ago, the four have raised more than £100,000 for the York branch of the MS Society, and branch chairman Jackie Chapman has praised their incredible commitment and success as fundraisers.

She said: "I wish to nominate these remarkable ladies for Charity Fundraiser of the Year simply because they are angels. Charlie would have been very proud of them and in my view these are four very loyal and remarkable ladies who we would be lost without."

Charlie's Angels began when care worker Dianne looked after MS sufferer Charlie Harrison, and accompanied him to social events at the MS Society.

Dianne said: "The first time I went somebody asked 'Charlie, who's your friend?' and he replied 'Dianne isn't my friend, she's my angel'. When we started fundraising we became known as Charlie's Angels."

Dianne started fundraising with a coffee morning in 1991, and was soon joined by friends Pat, Brenda and Judith.

Together the four have built up a reputation across York, especially among the businesses who they have persuaded to donate raffle and tombola prizes, and although they have now retired from the bigger fundraising events they have already raised £1,700 this year alone with a concert and tombola.

The cash the Charlie's Angels have raised has helped support the charity's transport and cafe, and has funded grants and respite care.

The Community Pride nomination will be added to the MS Society's Shining Star Award from the MS Society, the charity’s highest accolade, which the group has already won.

Dianne said: "We are very surprised and honoured to be nominated. We don't do it for awards, we do it because we love doing it, but it's lovely to be nominated."

The Charity Fundraiser of the Year category is one of 13 in the Community Pride awards, which are run by The Press and City of York Council and sponsored by Benenden Health.

The award is for amateur fundraisers who have not necessarily raised the most cash, but deserves recognition for their creativity and commitment.

For more information or to make a nomination, go to thepress.co.uk/pride.