Staff and volunteers working for St Leonard's Hospice not only celebrated Yellow Day recently but it is also now ten years since the first charity shop opened.

On Friday, June 21, 1991, the hospice's first shop opened its doors at Acomb, York. It started up in the old Regent Cinema buildings in York Road and proved to be the beginning of what has become a very successful retail operation with five shops now selling donated goods to raise funds for the care of patients in the hospice.

To celebrate its tenth birthday present and former customers and volunteers were invited to come along for a cup of coffee and a piece of birthday cake baked by shop manager Pat Addison.

Helen Moreton, retail organiser, said: "The success of the shops is due to the hard work of our managers and volunteers, to the generosity of those who give high- quality goods for us to sell and to the continued and loyal support of our customers.

"Our shops play a very important part in fundraising for the annual running costs of the hospice and our Acomb shop was the pioneer. On our tenth birthday we would like to say a big thank you to everyone."

Donations towards the final countdown in our bid to raise £2million for the hospice can be sent to the St Leonard's fundraising office at 14 York Road, Acomb, York, YO24 4LU, or drop off in an envelope marked for the attention of Emma Harrison, St Leonard's Hospice 2000 Appeal, to the front desk of the Evening Press in Walmgate.

Or you can call in at one of the shops, which are in Fourth Avenue, Tang Hall, The Village, Haxby, Waterloo Lane, Pocklington and the York Road shop at Acomb.

If you are organising or taking part in any activities in the coming weeks to raise money for the appeal contact Emma Harrison in the Evening Press newsroom on 01904 653051 ext: 314 or email on emma.harrison@ycp.co.uk