A new group of fundraising volunteers for Marie Curie Cancer Care in Ellesmere Port has been nominated for Your Champions for raising an astounding £14,807.14.

Your Champions is the annual awards campaign run by Trinity Mirror Cheshire and sponsored by ScottishPower, highlighting the achievements of unsung heroes of the community.

The fundraising group raised the total through organising events including pub quizzes, tombola stalls and a popular ‘Soup ‘n’ Pud Lunch’.

Members also looked after the collection tins distributed in shops and businesses all over Ellesmere Port as well as collecting in supermarkets over Christmas and during the charity’s annual Great Daffodil Appeal in March.

The group is made up of local residents from Ellesmere Port who meet every month.

The money they raise is used to give people with terminal illnesses the choice to spend their final days at home.

Marie Curie Nurses provide patients and their families with free hands-on care and emotional support in their own familiar surroundings.

The £14,807.14 they raised through the past year amounted to 740 hours of nursing care.

Laura Tomlinson, community fundraiser for Ellesmere Port, said: “This is a lovely group of very dedicated supporters, we are so grateful for their support and the funds that they have raised.

“Their dedication shows in their willingness to seek out new support in the community, never missing an opportunity and so passionately spreading the word about the work of our Marie Curie nurses in the area.

“We can’t thank them enough for their support and I hope the group continues to go from success to success and raise more and more money in the years to come.”

Julie Perry, chairwoman of the Ellesmere Port Fundraising Group, said: “My lovely dad, Graham, developed an incurable form of motor neurone disease at the age of 64.

“He was cared for by fantastic Marie Curie nurses enabling him to have his wish to stay at home for his final months.

“When I found out that this care is not available to so many who need it, I wanted to help to make it happen.

“It’s such an honour being involved with this group.”