SUNSHINE, summer gardens and dales arts and crafts helped add nearly £4,000 to the Richmond station appeal at the weekend.

Organisers from Richmondshire Buildings Preservation Trust have now turned their attention to events for July in their bid to raise £250,000 by September.

It is hoped the money will unlock major funding for a £2.5m conversion of the town's former station to a community and commercial centre.

The trust supports the town council's Last Night of the Proms-style evening at Richmond Castle tomorrow at 7pm. Proceeds are shared between the station project, Richmondshire Open Spaces Appeal, the Easby footpath appeal and Richmond Meet.

Tickets are £10 (£15 on the night), tel 01748 823456 or 07714 217162.

The station is transformed into a small corner of Italy on July 10 when the 25 members of Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, led by Tim Jackson, perform Baroque music.

The candlelit concert is accompanied by Italian wine, anti-pasti and desserts. As twilight moves into darkness, the music is presented with a changing backdrop of pictures by Italian masters

Tickets are £12 from Castle Hill books or tel 01748 823635.

A month-long arts and crafts exhibition by the Dales Guild at the station, which closed on Sunday, raised an estimated £2,000 towards the station project, with a further £1,500 coming on the same day, when 40 entrants to the annual Richmond town council gardens competition opened their gates to the public.

The gardens open day was co-ordinated by trust member Anna Jackson and included refreshments at the town hall, and plant sales.