EIGHT months ago we urged our readers to get behind our £100,000 appeal for Julia's House as the charity set out to build a children's hospice in Devizes.

The amazing news is that with more than three months to go of 2016 we have already raised £80,000 and are well on course for achieving the target for our appeal organised to celebrate 200 years of the Gazette.

Editor Gary Lawrence said: "When we set the target I knew it was ambitious but I also knew our wonderful readers would help us achieve it. It seems that optimism was well founded and now we need just one more big push to allow us to reach the £100,000 mark in time for Christmas..

"All of the money raised for our appeal will go to pay for carers for families in Wiltshire with children with life-limiting illnesses. We have heard lots of inspiring stories about how carers and nurses from the hospice are already transforming lives."

Julia’s House Chief Executive Martin Edwards said: “We are hugely grateful to the Gazette & Herald and its readers for giving Julia’s House such magnificent support.

“It has been amazing to see some of the brilliant fundraising ideas that people have come up with. Julia’s House is a service for the local community, funded by the local community, so it has been wonderful to see such a wide range of groups across the county backing this appeal.

“Not only has the 200 Appeal provided such important funding for our work in Wiltshire, the regular coverage in the Gazette has also significantly raised the profile of the work of our brilliant team of nurses and carers.

The £100,000 will fund Julia’s House Wiltshire carers for 12 months.

People from all over the county have done their bit to help with everything from golf days and runs to cake bakes and a teddy bear picnic. Two of the largest donations have come from Bishops Cannings Cricket Club which organised a clay pigeon shoot and the Devizes friends of Julia's House who organised a ball.

But the small donations are just as important and it is vital that the good work continues. If you are organising an event let us know so we can give you some publicity. Email jmoore3@gazetteandherald.co.uk and don't forget when you send your money to Julia's House mark it Gazette appeal.