A LITTLE bit of Christmas has just been added to the Raise the Roof Appeal.Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society has pulled a £1,000 donation from their festive sack – to add to the thousands already likely to come in from their 977 appeal.

A LITTLE bit of Christmas has just been added to the Raise the Roof Appeal.

Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society has pulled a £1,000 donation from their festive sack – to add to the thousands already likely to come in from their 977 appeal.

More than £90,000 has already been pledged to build a cancer education and information centre at Ipswich Hospital.

And once more the Ipswich and Norwich Co-operative Society has come up trumps to boost the appeal even further bringing us ever closer to the £100,000 target.

Each year the Co-op runs the 977 appeal for shoppers to put the share money they receive into the Evening Star's chosen charity if they wish.

This is the seventh year running the store has teamed up with the Evening Star and the £1,000 is an added bonus.

Miriam Harrop from the Co-op said: "I think the cancer information centre at the hospital is going to be vitally important for people to go and get information when they need it.

"We are delighted to be supporting such a worthy local cause."

Simply quoting the three numbers when buying goods in the stores in the Ipswich area, instead of your own share number means money will automatically be added to our Raise the Roof appeal.

The appeal was set up in April this year when we linked up with Cancer Campaign in Suffolk who had started raising the £300,000 needed to build the centre in 1998.

By April they had raised £200,000, but since linking up with the newspaper around £90,000 has come pouring in, within just eight months.

The centre will provide a place for all sectors of the community to find out about cancer, whether it is a patient wanting to find out more about their condition, or families wanting more information on the future their loved one faces.

It will also be there for anyone to find out how to spot the early signs of cancer as well as things to do to avoid it.

Private rooms will also be available for families to talk to consultants.

n. Anyone who wants to help with the appeal should send donations, made out to Raise the Roof appeal to Geraldine Thompson, Editors Secretary, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or to CCIS Appeal PO Box 100, Badingham, Woodbridge, IP13, 8NJ.