We've made a million

ECSTATIC fundraisers are today celebrating a monumental milestone in their campaign for a children's hospice in Huddersfield after making their first £1m.

And the West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Trust can also reveal it has been promised another £200,000, including about £150,000 from one benefactor.

Fundraising manager Mandy Barwick said: "It's a monumental moment for the charity to announce that it has finally - against all odds - topped the £1m mark.

"This can only demonstrate to our town the conviction and commitment that has been given and continues to be given to the cause.

"Clearly, we are only a third of the way to our building and equipping costs, but that doesn't detract from what is a major achievement."

The trust is hoping to raise £3m to build and equip a hospice and respite centre for youngsters.

It will also need £1.5m a year to run it.

A planning application has been sent to Kirklees Council to build the centre on land off Fell Greave Road, Brackenhall.

The application was due to be considered at a meeting of the council's planning and highways committee a week last Thursday.

But it was withdrawn from the agenda at the last minute.

The move followed protests from a group of objectors called the Fell Greave Field Supporters Group.

Kirklees said the hospice's potential impact on the proposed site needed to be discussed further before a decision was made.

The plan is likely to be back before committee members in July, hopefully for a decision.

Ms Barwick said the £1m demonstrated the faith that people had in the cause. She said: "My fear was that people might lose confidence in giving to a charity that doesn't have a building. That's not the case."

Trust board member Geoffrey Firth said the group had already received pledges amounting to a further £200,000.

He added: "This is a major milestone. I'm sure we can start to make real progress. If we get planning permission in July we can appeal to the big companies for help."

New Kirklees Mayor Jean Calvert, has chosen the trust as her charity for her year in office.