A charity appeal aiming to raise £1.1 million is only £200,000 away from its target after a year of fundraising.

Bradford Cancer Support's Daisy Appeal was set up to fund the purchase and extension of a building within the grounds of Bradford Royal Infirmary on Smith Lane.

The charity provides essential support to cancer patients and their friends and families with its provision of counselling, group therapy, activities and benefits and welfare advice.

Starting with nothing in the bank, fundraisers, supporters, patrons and patients have worked tirelessly to contribute pennies and pounds to help reach the target.

The Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Robin Owens, has named the appeal as one of two beneficiaries from his year in office, and support has been pledged from numerous Bradford businesses and organisations.

The charity itself has also raised thousands with organised events, the most recent of which was the Midsummer Dream ball at the Cedar Court Hotel, where, thanks to two last-minute donations, the total announced was £916,567.

Fundraising manager for the appeal Maureen Burns said £10,000 had been donated by the George Moore Foundation in Harrogate.

"They had already made one donation to the appeal and they generously followed it up after I wrote to everybody on the first anniversary," she said.

Mrs Burns said the foundation was keen to lend support to Yorkshire organisations offering help to people in the area.

And the appeal was given a massive boost with a grant of £100,000 from the London-based Wolfson Foundation.

Mrs Burns said she had contacted the charitable foundation, which awards grants to groups dealing with science and medicine, health, education, and the arts and humanities, at the start of the appeal.

"They said come back to us when you have got 50 per cent of the money. They wanted to know that the project was going ahead and self-sustainable," she said.

With the money from the Daisy Appeal ball, which raised £16,500, she said BCS was well on the way to starting work on the Smith Lane site but she urged people to help with the last push towards the total.

"We would like to say thank you for all the support, because we could not have done it without the local community getting behind us and not only making donations but also raising awareness of what we are trying to do.

"We are extremely privileged to have such strong support from the likes of the Telegraph & Argus as well."

To help the appeal telephone Linda Enderby on (01274) 776688.