A MASS gift exchange, known as Recycle Sunday, has raised £1,804 for Winchester Hospice following the event at St Lawrence Church.

Organised by Christine Pilgrim, environmental officer for the Three Saints Benefice Winchester, the initiative hoped to reduce waste of unwanted Christmas gifts while supporting a charity chosen by the parishioners.

The Three Saints Benefice, which is made up of St Bartholomew’s, St Lawrence and St Swithun upon Kingsgate churches, hosts the event every year, with this being its fourth instalment.

The event, which was held on January 28, welcomed more than 50 people from across the churches.

Everyone in attendance brought a gift and, for a donation to Winchester Hospice, took home another person’s unwanted treasure.

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At the event Liz Baron, parishioner and long-serving ambassador for Winchester Hospice, shared more about the work of the charity and the impact within the city.

Ms Pilgrim said: “We are so delighted that there has been such a terrific response to such a worthy charity through the initiative this year.

“Having a hospice in the heart of our city is incredibly valuable and so, as Winchester residents, it is really important that we support this service.”

Allison Warren, ward manager at the hospice, said: “It’s fantastic to see our community being so creative and finding ways of fundraising that not only benefit our hospice, but the environment too.

“We feel incredibly grateful to have the support of our local churches so I want to say a huge thank you on behalf of all of us here to everyone involved.”

Winchester Hospice is the only adult hospice in the city providing palliative and end of life care. In order to continue and grow its services, Winchester Hospice Fundraising Charity must raise at least £500,000 every year.

For more details, visit winchesterhospice.com/donate.