PRESIDENT Marion Neale welcomed members to the September meeting at the Raven Hotel.

Members were encouraged to bring along friends and relatives to the ploughman's lunch at Rotary House on Thursday, October 31, to help raise funds for St Richards Hospice, Marion's chosen charity.

Past president Shirley Jones then introduced Chris Price, from Acorns Children's Hospice Trust, and handed over a cheque for £903 which was raised during her term of office.

Mr Price was delighted with the donation and confirmed that the appeal launched in April had broken through the £1million barrier. If support from clubs like Inner Wheel continued, he was confident building would start in the spring of 2003 ready to open in 2004 as planned. At present 176 families met the criteria for care in the area.