Christmas events give boost to Guardian Angels appeal (From York Press)

Christmas events give boost to Guardian Angels appeal

5:00pm Sunday 14th December 2008 in Search By Nicola Fifield, Senior reporter

CHRISTMAS events are being held in and around York to give our Guardian Angels fund a festive boost.

Following the success of The Press’s £300,000 appeal to build a new high dependency unit for children at York Hospital, the lives of young patients are already being saved.

But to make sure the unit remains state-of-the-art, donations are still needed to help with its upkeep. The Rainflorist, in Nether Poppleton, near York – run by sisters-in-law Joanne and Angie Forster – is raffling a Christmas hamper in aid of the unit.

Joanne, who has two children aged nine and four, said: “When my son Max was two, he fell over and his tooth went right through his lip.

“He had to have a general anaesthetic to have a stitch put in it and while it wasn’t life-threatening, I know how nerve-racking it is when your child is ill.

“We took him to the hospital in Selby first, but then got sent to York because they didn’t have the facilities in Selby.

“When you’re getting moved around from pillar to post because they don’t have the facilities for what needs to be done, it just adds to your anxiety.

“That’s why we wanted to support the new Guardian Angels unit because we know how important it is to have the best facilities in your home city.” For £1, customers can choose a number that will be entered into a prize draw to win a Christmas hamper packed full of goodies from the florist, including a festive table centre piece with a scented candle, a Christmas stocking, a box of chocolates, a rose plant and a figgy pudding scented candle.

The raffle will be drawn on Christmas Eve and the prize delivered to the winner’s home that day.

Meanwhile, two Dunnington designers teamed up last month to hold an evening of ‘Christmas Inspiration’ at the Fabric Gallery and Interiors shop in Dunnington, raising £380 for the Guardian Angels fund. About 25 people attended the Fabric Gallery to gain inspiration from floral designer Fiona Hogg, who demonstrated how to make Christmas wreaths, and interior designer Bronia Suszczenia, who showed guests how to create a beautiful home décor for Christmas. Bronia, who owns Fabric Gallery with her husband, Steve Whitt, said: “We were looking for a way to use our skills to help a local cause.

“Holding a Christmas design evening seemed the ideal event and the Guardian Angels Appeal is a really worthy appeal which will help local families.”

If you would like to donate money to the new Guardian Angels unit, send cheques made out to The Press Guardian Angels appeal, to Guardian Angels, The Press, 76/86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.