MARIE Curie Cancer Care collectors celebrated the launch of a two year partnership with Altrincham Garden centre, and Timperley’s World of Pets And Leisure, by donning their daffodil hats and collecting for the charity’s Great Daffodil Appeal.

The garden centre group has chosen Marie Curie as its first national charity partner and is aiming to raise more than £500,000 nationally, through gardening-inspired activities, which will help Marie Curie provide care to people with terminal illnesses in their own homes.

Altrincham and Hale Fundraising group volunteers kicked off the link-up by collecting for the Great Daffodil Appeal, which runs throughout March and is Marie Curie’s biggest fundraiser. The charity is asking people to make a donation and wear a daffodil pin to support people with terminal illnesses.

Carole Mindham, chairman of Marie Curie’s Altrincham and Hale volunteer group, said: “We’re so excited to be working with Altrincham Garden centre, and World of Pets and Leisure for the next two years, and great to have them on board for this year’s Great Daffodil Appeal.

“We need everyone in Altrincham and Hale to get behind the appeal by donating and wearing one of our daffodil pins during March.

“Every penny you can give is vital in helping Marie Curie Nurses provide more care to people with terminal illnesses in their own homes, meaning our patients can continue to enjoy their gardens, which often hold many happy memories.”

Sylvia Spilling, Marie Curie nurse, said: “I remember taking a patient out into her garden in the early hours one morning, to look around and soak up the sights, sounds and smells. We talked about the plants and her happy memories of time spent there as a family. She passed away later that morning. I think that because gardens are so full of life and hold such sentimental value it is only natural that our patients get great joy from them in their last days of their life at home.”

Stephen Murphy, chairman, the Garden Centre Group, said: "We are delighted to have selected Marie Curie as our national charity partner for 'Gardens for Good' over the next two years following an all colleague vote. The work Marie Curie does is invaluable and we know that many people being cared for by the charity have a huge affection for their gardens. This makes our 'Gardens for Good' partnership truly relevant for our staff, our supplier partners and our customers. We hope to both raise significant funds from a wide range of initiatives and provide many volunteering opportunities over the next two years to support the great work that Marie Curie does."

For more information on how to get involved in the Great Daffodil Appeal, please contact Michelle Bate, Community Fundraiser on 0161 255 2809 or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil.