HEATING contractors brought a warm smile from hospice fundraisers when they handed over a £500 donation.
The North-East branch of the Heating Ventilating Contractors' Association presented a cheque to St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham City, for its Key Appeal.
The hospice is hoping to raise the £820,000 it still needs to build a £3.2m extension, offering round-the-clock specialist palliative care.
It is the second year running that the association, with hundreds of members in the North-East, has made a donation to St Cuthbert's.
The money was raised during a ladies' night dinner at Ramside Hall in November and a second donation is to be made to the Grace House appeal to build a children's hospice in Sunderland.
Regional chairman Gary Dunnill said St Cuthbert's was a cause close to his own heart.
Eight years ago, his father, Arnold, had contracted cancer and had to go to Newcastle to get the 24-hour care he needed.
He said: "Its an important local cause.
"I think most families have some contact with cancer and the hospice provides an important service, so having the extension built here is a big thing."
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