ALMOST every day this newspaper reports on the various and ingenious ways in which people in and around York have given up their time and energy in support of St Leonard's Hospice.

The kindness and energy of so many people has helped sustain this appeal, while pushing it ever on towards the total of £2 million.

Back in October 1998, this looked like a mightily ambitious sum. And yet now the latest petal has been placed on the giant sunflower outside the hospice on Tadcaster Road, York - indicating that £1.7 million has been raised.

This is an astonishing effort and so much has been achieved on behalf of this important charity, which has been caring for the seriously ill people of York since 1984.

Today is not the final celebration, far from it. Despite all the tremendous achievements so far, there still remains another £300,000 to be raised.

This will still take a huge effort and much has yet to be done.

So let the kindness continue.

Updated: 12:28 Thursday, March 22, 2001