GAZETTE & HERALD: CHARITY worker Lyn Chisholm has expressed her gratitude after generous readers helped raise enough money to take needy children on a day out to remember.

As reported in last week's Gazette, the Wiltshire, Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset Children's Holidays charity was short of the £1,000 needed to cover the cost of adding a day out at an adventure park onto a week's break by the sea for 130 youngsters.

Since last week's appeal, £705 has been received, with Ms Chisholm, who will be leading the holiday, confident that they will reach the £1,000 mark by the weekend.

The Chippenham-based charity works hard all year round to raise the £16,000 it costs to send 130 needy children on a week's holiday, and on Tuesday two groups of 65 will take over a youth hostel near Tenby.

Ms Chisholm said she was delighted at the response from the public. She said: "Everywhere I go, people tell me that they read the article. Hopefully by Saturday we should have achieved our goal."

Ms Chisholm said she was overwhelmed by people's generosity, particularly from the older generation.

"I had a little old lady who turned up at the door and gave me a cheque for £25," she said. "Another lady on her pension managed to give me £10 and that kind of thing really brings a lump to your throat.

"There's a lot of kind hearts around this area."