Bents Garden & Home presented a cheque for £26,204 to St Rocco’s Hospice in Warrington, its 2018 charity of the year.

The funds will help the community facility to continue providing high quality care for adults living with a terminal or life limiting illness.

Rachel Ingham, St Rocco’s fundraising manager, who visited Bents to accept the donation, said:  “It has been wonderful to work with Bents and they have been amazingly supportive, raising a fabulous amount in so many ways to help us continue to care for our patients and families.

Activities and challenges included cycling from Holyhead to Cardiff, entering an all-ladies team in a Dragon Boat Race and welcoming therapists to the centre to help raise awareness.

Rachel was joined for the occasion by representatives from Once Upon a Smile, Bents 2019 charity of the year. Founded in 2011 by actors Daniel Jillings and Danny Miller, the charity provides emotional and practical support to bereaved families in the Greater Manchester region with opportunities for children to understand and express their emotions in a fun and safe environment.

MD Matthew Bent thanked customers and colleagues who had helped to make the fund-raising campaign a success.  “We are now looking forward to working with Once Upon a Smile, another fantastic cause and one which we are keen to do just as well for in 2019.”

Once Upon a Smile recently moved to a new dedicated bereavement hub in Old Trafford.

Pictured: Back row, left to right:  Rachel Ingham, Kathy Oakes, Jackie Rogers all from St Rocco's Hospice with Matthew Bent, Nicola Henshaw from St Roccos and Kelly Willison and Daniel Jillings from Once Upon a Smile. Front row: Angela Griffiths from Once Upon a Smile