THE Lord Mayor of York for 2017/18, Councillor Barbara Boyce, and her fundraising committee raised £45,000 for her chosen charities during her year in office.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Refugee Action York and Age UK York’s Keep Your Pet service all benefited from a fundraising diary crammed with more than 50 individual events, such as the annual Lord Mayor’s Ball and events at Imphal Barracks in Fulford and RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

The varied calendar attracted many supporters and the wide range of events ensured there was "something for everyone to enjoy". Cllr Boyce, now Deputy Lord Mayor of York, said: "Fundraising for the three charities was fun but a huge effort; everyone involved worked very hard and I thank them for their enthusiasm and support. Every penny of this was earned; we had no large corporate donations.

" I really enjoyed all the activities and events, including Pig Racing (no real pigs were present), dog walks, quiz evenings and wonderful evenings with the Army and RAF. The money will make a great difference to the charities and I genuinely thank everyone who supported us."