It's with enormous pleasure that we are able to reveal today that the T&A Millennium Scanner Appeal has smashed its target, and in a staggering 18 months.

When we launched the appeal in conjunction with Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust we were determined to make sure the equipment should be ordered, installed and running by the year 2000 to launch a new era of health care for the people of Bradford at the very start of the new millennium.

Thanks to the generosity of Sovereign Health Care and the fantastic open-handedness and hard work of the Bradford public, we have done just that. The target has been hit with time to spare. The equipment has been ordered. Work is underway preparing the site for it and the people who will operate it are being trained.

The success of the appeal really is wonderful news for the people of Bradford and district. It is a great tribute to you, the readers of the T&A, who have organised literally hundreds of fund-raising events and made a staggering number of individual donations, large and small, to ensure that Bradford can have an important new diagnostic aid which will help to save lives for many years to come.

We are delighted that the challenge has been met, but not surprised. Time and again we have presented you with fund-raising targets for various important causes. Time and again you have met those targets. This was a higher hill than usual, but you climbed it. It is a splendid achievement. Be proud.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.