St Elizabeth Hospice is thanking the community, including Bildeston primary school, for helping its Christmas campaign, Be a Star, raise more than £128,000 for the independent Suffolk charity.  

From the Be a Star Matched Giving Week and the hospice's popular Light up a Life remembrance event through to the annual Christmas Day Dip and individual fundraisers taking on challenges in aid of the hospice, supporters across East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, joined with St Elizabeth Hospice to raise this fantastic amount.  

With donations still coming in, this year's Be a Star appeal has already surpassed the £100,000 raised by 2021's Be a Star appeal, with the 2022 Matched Giving Week alone raising over £27,000 as local businesses matched every £1 raised by the local community for Be a Star between 5th and 11th December.  

As well as local businesses and individuals supporting the appeal, local schools and youth groups also showed their love for their local hospice this Christmas.   

Including Bildeston Primary School who raised £745 by taking part in the Be a Star Selection Box Challenge, Christmas Jumper Day and by designing Christmas jumpers for the hospice's mascot Woolly Pully, who will be paying the pupils a visit in the New Year to thank them for their support.    

Brandon Orton, Community Fundraiser at the hospice, added: "Well done to Bildeston Primary School and all the schools who supported our Be a Star this appeal. It was brilliant to see the creative and fun ways you supported the Be a Star appeal and we wish you all a very Happy New Year."  

Brandon Orton (middle) St Elizabeth Hospice fundraiser in Hadleigh (©NubNews)

Pauline Donkin, Head of Individual Giving and Supporter Care at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: "A big thank you to everyone who supported our Be a Star appeal this year, with the current, difficult economic climate we really appreciate people generously donating towards the hospice. 

"Whether you fundraised as part of our Christmas Day Dip, made a donation, purchased an item from one of our shops or your business supported the appeal, you all made a difference to St Elizabeth Hospice this Christmas. 

"A special hospice thank you goes to Jess Kelly and her family, who kindly shared their hospice Christmas story as part of our appeal, which highlighted how every year Be a Star enables the hospice to help patients and their families to be together over the festive period."  

On average every Christmas, the hospice provides vital care to more than 1,150 people living with progressive and life-limiting illnesses and their families across East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney, for many of whom it will be their last Christmas spent together. 

The funds raised by the Be a Star appeal will support the hospice's vital work in providing free services to improve life for people living with a progressive or life limiting illness throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney 

For more information about the Be a Star appeal visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk/be-a-star/be-a-star-appeal.  

To find out more about St Elizabeth Hospice call 01473 723600 or visit www.stelizabethhospice.org.uk.