The Warrington Guardian is proud to announce that St Rocco’s Hospice is our charity of the year.

We are getting behind the hospice’s Day Unit Appeal that will create a new centre for day patients receiving treatment.

St Rocco's Hospice, Bewsey, offer free care and support for people with cancer and other serious illnesses, as well as their families and friends, in a number of different ways. As well as providing in–patient care, the centre offers day care services for patients including holistic therapies and arts and crafts.

But the popularity of the service means that the hospice needs to create a dedicated unit for day care services to accommodate its patients. If built it would mean that St Rocco's can help 25 patients per day and offer a wider range of services such as yoga.

Caroline Kay, Day Unit sister, said: "At present, when patients are treated in our Day Unit, the care we provide is limited by the surroundings. Currently, our day care provision centres around one room, which is used as a dining area, relaxation area, arts and crafts and a whole range of other activities."

The appeal target for the unit is £3.3 million and so far more than £2.5 million has been raised for the project. The hospice is aiming to raise £500,000 by December this year. We are asking you to get behind our campaign to help reach this target.

Whether you and your friends and family can raise £10,000, which would pay for a specialist bath or just £50 to help pay for footrests for the unit every little will help to create a fantastic facility for the people of Warrington.