A FAMILY-RUN garden centre in York has raised almost £30,000 for a cancer charity.

Dean’s Garden Centre, which also has a base in Scarborough, raised £29,903.70 for Macmillan Cancer Support, after choosing the organisation as its 2018 Charity of the Year.

The money was raised through numerous fundraisers, competitions, merchandise sales, cash collections and donations from the partners themselves.

Sarah Child, local fundraising manager for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "We are truly amazed at this wonderful donation, which is enough to fund a Macmillan nurse for more than six months, helping cancer patients right here in York and Scarborough live life as fully as they can. A huge thank you to everyone at Dean’s Garden Centre for their dedication to raising funds throughout the year and to their customers for their generosity."

Laura Dean, charity co-ordinator at Dean’s Garden Centre, said: "Macmillan has a special place in our employee’s and customers hearts, which is clear from the amount raised – this is the most we have ever raised for a charity partner and we are delighted that it will make such a difference locally."

A spokeswoman for Macmillan said someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer every two minutes, and the charity is unable to reach 48 per cent of people with cancer, which is why local support like Dean’s Garden Centre was vital.

Sarah said: "In North & East Yorkshire there are about 9,600 new cancer diagnoses every year and whilst cancer isn’t always life threatening, it is always life changing. Regardless of the diagnosis life will never be the same again. Whatever cancer throws your way, Macmillan is right there with you.

"Macmillan Cancer Support is a national charity with local impact, there are around 54 Macmillan professionals supporting people affected by cancer in York and Scarborough, including a breast care nurse, palliative care team, head & neck cancer specialists and benefits advisor. Every penny raised makes a vital difference."