Congratulations to Paul Hodgson of Market Weighton who has driven off in a brand new Smart car thanks to the Daisy Appeal’s recent funding raising raffle.

Listers Mercedes-Benz and Smart on Saxon Way in Hull supplied the vehicle at a reduced cost to the WA Horncastle Charitable Trust, which donated the car to the Daisy Appeal to raffle.

Mr Hodgson, who works at Tesco in Market Weighton, bought his ticket at BevPaul Smart Carerley Races in June.  He said he decided to chance his luck because he always liked to support charities involved in the fight against cancer: “My nephew was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was four, which was devastating, but thankfully he will turn 18 soon so there has been a happy ending…but other members of my family have been affected too, so I always like to give to charity.  Plus the Daisy Appeal helps local people and it is always important to support charities that do that.”

The Smart car toured the region raising awareness of the charity which is raising funds for a PET-CT scanning unit at Castle Hill Hospital.

Professor Nick Stafford, founder of the Daisy Appeal, said he was delighted the car had been won by someone who appreciated what the charity was trying to achieve.

He said: “Paul entered the raffle for all the right reasons, to help us find ways to diagnose cancer, heart disease and dementia earlier for people in Hull, East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire, and by doing so improve the health outcomes for thousands of people across the region. His story of being touched by these dreadful conditions is one we hear time and again and I am pleased that his generosity has led to him winning the car.”

David Colbeck, dealership principal of Listers Mercedes Benz in Hull, said the business had been only too pleased to help the Daisy Appeal.

Mr Colbeck said: “The Daisy Appeal carries out vital fund raising that is having a direct and positive effect on the health of people across the region. When they asked for our help in relation to the raffle, we jumped at the chance to get involved.”

Andrew Horncastle is a trustee of the Daisy Appeal and manages the WA Horncastle Charitable Trust.

He said the raffle had raised around £7,000 for the charity, which would go towards purchasing state-of-the-art medical diagnostic equipment.

“Our family trust donates money to a number of charities both locally and internationally and the Daisy Appeal is one of the most important of them,” Mr Horncastle said.

“It is a source of great satisfaction to see the raffle generate a significant sum for the charity, which will ultimately go to helping local people.  Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket.”

For more information on the Daisy Appeal go to www.daisyappeal.org