Lurgan friends of Southern Area Hospice in Newry reach the £1 million milestone after 24 years of fundraising

Deirdre Breen from Lurgan with a cheque for £1m for the Southern Area Hospice. Deirdre helped set up Friends of the Southern Area Hospice 24 years ago and today reached their milestone goal of raising one million pounds for the hospice.

A Co Armagh group, which fundraises for the Southern Area Hospice, has just its reached £1m target for the charity.

Friends of Southern Area Hospice in Lurgan, set up by Deirdre Breen and Ann Dalzell from Lurgan almost 25 years ago, have worked extremely hard over the decades fundraising regularly for the vital service.

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Totting up cake sales and large events the group, which will be running for 25 years next year, has raised the £1m for the hospice.

Deirdre Breen said: “We have reached the million pounds. Thanks to each and every one of you who have helped us fundraise, organised events, stopped me on the street or called at the house with donations.

"Thanks to all our committee and people who have helped us over the past 24 years . Aghagallon Santa Fun Run pushed us over the million when they called with another £310. Now starting to fundraise for our next million for Southern Area Hospice Services.”

If anyone can donate please check out their JustGiving Page here . All donations, no matter how small, are sincerely welcomed.

The group work run events throughout the year to fundraise and plan to continue into next year when they celebrate their 25 years anniversary.

Southern Area Hospice Services provide the highest standard of specialist palliative care to people with complex life-limiting conditions, irrespective of their condition or place of care.

All its services are provided free and it rely heavily on fundraising. This year, with continuous increasing operating costs, it has an ambitious fundraising target of £3.6 million which is approximately £300,000 per month, £69,230 per week, £9,863 per day, £410 per hour.