A HOUSING association that manages homes in Chard has raised more than £6,000 for a local charity.

Yarlington Housing Group, which manages the sheltered hosing on High Street, St Gildas and Kents Lane, raised an impressive £6,270.19 for St Margret’s Hospice.

Staff from the housing group nominated the hospice as its charity of the year in 2015, and staff raised the funds completing a variety of different fundraising challenges.

These included hosting bake-offs, taking part in fun runs and marathons, dressing down and clearing out and ding into the office snack box to raise the vital funds.

The Top Yarlington fundraiser was Richie Horton, managing director of Yarlington Property Management, who raised a remarkable £2,584.38 of the total by running the London Marathon.

He said: “Running the marathon was a personal achievement but also provided me with the opportunity to raise funds for a cause close to my heart.

“Many of my colleagues have had relatives use the facilities, and all have commented that the services and treatment at the hospice made the inevitable more bearable, seeing their loved one so well looked after.”

As well as the regular office fundraising activities, some staff went the extra mile and laced up their trainers to take part in bigger challenges such as the hospice’s Colour Run for which staff raised £630.

More than 20 employees navigated the five-kilometre course under a shower of powder paint finishing with a spectacular ‘colour-throw’ at the end.

Jess Martin, Yarlington’s trainee surveyor who took part, said: “It was fabulous to run with my colleagues for St Margaret’s.

“Instead of sadness, there was happiness emanating from all the runners and a magical atmosphere on the day.”

Mark Flower, community fundraiser at St Margaret’s Hospice, praised the housing group for raising so much money.

He said: “We are very grateful to the Yarlington staff and their residents for their generous donation. It really does make a huge difference.

“One in three people in Somerset will need our support in their lifetime. Last year we cared for more than 3,200 people and we expect this number to rise significantly, in the future which will only increase costs.

“We require £10.5 million annually to operate and with only a £2.5 million contribution from the NHS we are, and will continue to be, reliant on the good will and fundraising efforts from the public.

“We are so grateful to Yarlington and all those who have donated to St Margaret’s who continue to help us ‘make each day count.”