MORE than £18,000 raised at a spectacular ball earlier this month has been presented to the Herriot Hospice@The Lambert project.

The Ball at the Barns event on February 4 raised a total of £41,500, which is being split between various cancer charities, while just under half of the sum was this week handed to Herriot Hospice for its project to turn Thirsk's former Lambert Hospital into an in-patient hospice and bereavement centre.

The fundraiser was the idea of Katie Matten, daughter of the Thirsk artisan cheesemaker Judy Bell, who died last year from bowel cancer.

Katie joined forces with Sophie Harrison, Tracey Ashton, Joanne Thompson, Kelly Shackleton, and Claire Ryder, all of whom have been personally affected or recovered from cancer, to organise the event at at Thirsk Lodge Barns.

Ms Thompson said the group wanted to support the Lambert project as it will provide a vital service for the community.

Tony Collins, chief executive of Herriot Hospice Homecare, said: “We are thrilled to have been supported by this hugely successful event. The money donated – more than £18,000 – will make a significant impact on our community fundraising campaign to open Herriot Hospice@The Lambert later this year.

“We are very grateful to the organisers for their support – and to everyone who was so generous on the night."