THE dream of building of centre dedicated to the care of patients suffering incurable illnesses has moved a massive step forward. The fundraising pot for the Palliative Care East appeal now stands at more than £500,000 - more than a third of the sum needed.

THE dream of building of centre dedicated to the care of patients suffering incurable illnesses has moved a massive step forward.

The fundraising pot for the Palliative Care East appeal now stands at more than £500,000 - more than a third of the sum needed.

Donations continue to pour in from supporters across Great Yarmouth and Waveney - the area the centre, built in the grounds of the James Paget University Hospital, will serve.

Ladies from Great Ormesby WI put their best arm forward to raise almost £1,000 for the Palliative Care East appeal. The group raised £902 for the appeal by holding a sponsored swim.

And the appeal was one of four charities which benefited from donations presented by Louise Miller from her year as president of the Soroptimists International and Great Yarmouth group.

Events for the appeal include a coffee morning at Stokesby Hall on June 11, the Northern Villages fundraising team's dinner and dance on June 13, and Dusmagrik Productions' Musical Magic at the Marina Centre on June 28.

Meanwhile county councillors were due to look at how a new Marie Curie electronic toolkit could help improve how death and dying is managed in Norfolk at a meeting yesterday.

Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was expected to hear how the toolkit - jointly commissioned by NHS Norfolk and Norfolk County Council's Adult Social Services - would bring about a range of benefits to palliative care patients and their carers.

For information on the above events or to hold a fundraising event, contact Jenny Westgate on 01493 453348. Donations can be sent by post to the James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust Palliative Care Appeal, Palliative Care Team, Lowestoft Road, Gorleston, NR31 6LA. Cheques should be made payable to Palliative Care East.

Donations can be made online at www.palliative-care-east.org.uk.