A STREET collection in Ilkley for Martin House Children’s Hospice on Saturday, July 6 raised £735.

The money will go towards the Wetherby hospice's biggest-ever fundraising appeal to raise almost £22m to build more space to care for young patients.

The charity launched an appeal - The Build - earlier this year when it said it hoped the public would help raise £2m towards the plan to build a new children's wing, teenagers' wing and wellbeing centre by winter 2025.

The street collection in Ilkley was organised by the Ilkley Friends of Martin House who also staffed a gazebo by the bandstand with a display of the building project being undertaken.

They informed the public about the campaign to transform the hospice, strengthening its existing services and to meet the changing needs of children with life limiting conditions.

A spokesperson for the Ilkley Friends of Martin House said: "Since opening in 1987 advancements in clinical research and palliative medicine have resulted in children and young people living for longer, with more complex needs.

"The facilities at the hospice need to change with them to ensure that families continue to receive the highest quality care in modern, well equipped surroundings. The total cost of the transformation is around £21m. With the children’s new wing aiming to be completed later in the year, there is still a significant amount of money to be raised for the next phase, in addition to the £9m it takes to run Martin House each year.

"People think hospices are about dying but Martin House is about living. It’s a place where they make sure children have the best life they can, for as long as possible. The Build will provide the space for the specialised life sustaining equipment and facilities required to enable Martin House to continue to deliver its outstanding standards of care and give the children and their families the hospice they deserve."

The Ilkley Friends of Martin House extend their thanks to all the volunteers who collected around town and members of the public for their generous donations.

Their thanks also go to the New Horizons Band for their entertaining performance at the bandstand and their continuing support for the hospice.

For more information on The Build visit martinhouse.org.uk/TheBuild