Preparations are under way for Saturday's community fun day at York College to raise money for the St Leonard's Hospice 2000 Appeal.

It is not only the organisers who are working flat out for the day - a new advertising banner has had to be made at very short notice after the previous one was stolen.

The event is expected to raise thousands of pounds for the appeal, and is one of the major fundraising events in the hospice summer calendar.

The banner is crucial for letting people know it is happening at York College in Tadcaster Road, next door to St Leonard's Hospice, from noon to 4pm.

Organisers were very upset to discover it was missing. Janet Morley, fundraising manager for the hospice, said: "The banner is very important and we are grateful to the staff at Signs Express who worked throughout the weekend to make a new one at very short notice."

Featured at the event will be live music, arts and crafts, furniture restoration exhibition, dozens of charity and commercial stalls, a barbecue, bouncy castle and other children's activities, cream teas, beauty treatments, plants and cakes.