MARKS & SPENCER Chester has presented the Hospice of the Good Shepherd with £20,600 following a year of fundraising.

Store manager Louise Slevin and Jean Turner from the store’s charity fundraising committee presented Amanda Le Bretton, fundraising manager at the charity, with the donation at M&S Chester.

The Hospice of the Good Shepherd was the store’s nominated charity throughout 2011. It is Chester’s only adult hospice and helps to improve the quality of life for more than 1,000 patients living with an incurable illness and gives support to families, carers, friends and children from western Cheshire, Chester and Deeside.

Staff at the store organised a variety of events throughout the year to raise the funds including auctions in store, cake sales, tombolas and sponsored walks.

M&S Chester store manager, Louise Slevin, said: “We wanted to support the Hospice of the Good Shepherd due to the huge amount of support that it provides for our local community.

“The staff at the store have very much enjoyed organising and taking part in all of the fundraising activities and we hope that the money we have raised will help the hospice to continue its important work.”

Amanda Le Bretton, fundraising and marketing manager at the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, said: “We are absolutely overwhelmed by the kindness and dedication of the M&S staff, particularly as this is our second nomination for charity of the year. Our thanks also goes to all of the generous customers and staff at M&S Chester.”