MAKE York Sparkle, the Evening Press campaign to light up the city at Christmas, is closing in on its £30,000 target.

York-based GNER is the latest big sponsor to back the cause by pledging £5,000, bringing the pot of contributions above the halfway mark a little more than a week after the appeal was launched.

The £30,000 is needed to cover the installation and maintenance costs of this year's festive illuminations, and needs to be raised within weeks.

City of York Council donated £5,000 last week to spur companies on - a move which prompted York Business Pride to announce it would consider matching the sum at its next board meeting.

Chairman Adam Sinclair, who has now confirmed that pledge, told the Evening Press: "Small contributions are dripping in, but the main news is that GNER has donated £5,000. We are now somewhere between £15,000 and £20,000, with the contributions from GNER, City of York Council and York Business Pride."

Welcoming the support, he said: "GNER has illustrated its true commitment to the city and the York Business Pride ethos with its sponsorship of £5,000 towards this year's Christmas lights. We are making progress. Although we have a long way to go, I am confident the appeal is gathering momentum."

Jonathon Metcalfe, GNER chief operating officer, said he decided to support the cause after reading about the Christmas lights appeal in the Evening Press.

"One of the great things about York is what it does at Christmas. It would be a terrible tragedy for York to be without lights," he said. "It would take away one of the great things about York at Christmas."

Renewing the call for others to dig deep, he said: "Businesses in York, no matter what industry they are in, benefit from a thriving economy and good trade, and it is in everyone's interest to play a part in supporting the city. It would not be unreasonable to ask some of the bigger businesses to play their part and make some contribution."

GNER has its headquarters in York where it employs about 300 people, and annually brings about one million rail passengers into the city.

Updated: 09:54 Friday, September 24, 2004