A GUISELEY firm has helped raise £9,000 for hospices as part of a year of fundraising.

JM Glendinning, which is based in Guiseley, has helped raise money for the Sue Ryder Wheatfields and Manorlands Hospices as part of its fundraising efforts to raise £45,000 in its 45th anniversary year.

The insurance, financial services and health and safety group has collectively raised £45,274 throughout 2018 to share between five selected charities.

Representatives from the five charities - Sue Ryder, Wheatfields and Manorlands Hospices, Yorkshire Air Ambulance charity, the Leeds Cancer Centre appeal, Bradley Lowery Foundation and Alzheimer’s Society - met with the firm’s fundraising team to receive the donations.

The charities were chosen by employees as the areas in which the charities work have affected people close to them and some have supported loved ones at times when most needed.

Andrew Wood, community fundraising manager at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, says: “It was fantastic to be chosen by the team at JM Glendinning as one of their charities for their 45th year celebrations. The amount of £9000 Sue Ryder received is exactly what it costs to run our services at Manorlands Hospice for a day. We hope the team is proud to think that on one day everyone we care for, be it on our in-patient ward, our day therapy unit or through our community nursing team has been completely covered by their hard work.”

Group MD Nick Houghton says: “It was fantastic to meet the charities and to hear about how the donations will help their work. I’m extremely proud of our achievements and of our staff for their involvement in the fundraising challenges. We’re very grateful for their support, and support from friends, suppliers and customers, in helping us to reach our target.”

The fundraising team also organised events including a charity golf day, a black-tie ball, charity go-karting and tenpin bowling. A number of staff also opted for salary sacrifice for dress-down Fridays, others arranged quiz nights and bake-offs and some set themselves physical challenges. In addition, David Fryer and Jane Haddon from the York office completed a 282-mile cycling challenge from France to the UK as part of the Pedal 4 Pounds challenge to raise money towards the group fundraising initiative.