1874 Northwich Football Club's community team are raising funds for Winsford's St Luke's Cheshire Hospice at this difficult time.

St Luke's are one of the main charity partners of the North West Counties Premier Division Club, who were tenants at Winsford United's Barton Stadium until this season.

"Like many terrific organisations they are really finding times tough, not helped by the fact that all their main fundraising events are cancelled," said 1874 football secretary Vicki England.

"Allied to that, they now need to purchase more PPE and equipment because of the pandemic to keep staff and patients safe.

"We hope to play a small part in helping financially and by raising awareness."

A crowdfunding page has been set up this week, so to make a donation visit justgiving.com/fundraising/help-your-hospice

1874 have previously raised significant funds for the hospice, including through an extreme challenge that featured an ironing board being dragged all the way up Snowdon and an 1874 shirt then being pressed at the summit.

The explanation on the funding page says: "We have been honoured to support our friends at the hospice for a number of years and are asking for your help in raising funds to ensure that the hospice can continue its vital work during this difficult time."Due to the current situation regarding the Covid-19 epidemic and the subsequent lockdown, St Luke’s Hospice in Winsford has been forced to cancel all of its outdoors summer fundraising activities.

"The summer season is vitally important for the hospice to raise the funds it requires to provide the support to patients and families in Mid Cheshire.

"Many sponsored and fundraising events planned for this year will have to be cancelled or postponed – above all, the annual St Luke’s Midnight Walk, an event that is the mainstay of the hospice’s annual fundraising and one close to the hearts of many of their supporters.

"Since 1988, St Luke’s has been providing palliative care to local people, supporting them in ways which go beyond the scope and funding of the NHS.

"Last year they supported over 1,000 local people with a huge range of support from end of life care on their ward to supporting carers, and from helping children cope with grief to helping patients return to work after an illness.

"They are a charity and provide all the care for free, so they rely on the generosity and commitment of their supporters to raise more than 80 percent of their costs. Help us, help the people who will be there for us when we most need them."