FUNDRAISERS came together for the last major event in aid of the Dorset County Hospital Digital Mammography Appeal.

People across Dorset have been fundraising for the new unit since February last year and the £500,000 equipment is now being installed.

Organisers behind the appeal held a special Thank You Concert at Dorchester’s Corn Exchange with a performance by the Casterbridge Male Voice Choir to raise additional funds for the appeal and pay tribute to all those who helped with the fundraising campaign.

Chairman of the appeal Wendy Nightingale, who has been the driving force behind the campaign, said: “It was really good. I think everyone really enjoyed the concert. The choir was really good and the soprano was great.

“We raised quite a bit of money with the raffle and everyone had a really good time.”

Wendy, who will be closing the appeal at the end of the month, said it was only a matter of weeks now before the new equipment was up and running at the Dorchester hospital.

She said: “The equipment has been ordered and they are doing all the building work now, so it should be up and running by May 14.

“They are also going to refurbish the whole unit, which should be nice.”

Wendy said she had been amazed at the response of people in the county since the appeal was launched and the generosity on display.

She said: “People have been wonderful. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people, we really have.

“It was the variety of all the fundraising events that was great, from Abba nights to sponsored slimming and sponsored cycling – every idea people came up with just raised money.”

Wendy said she was grateful to all those who donated to the appeal over the last year, from small donations from coffee mornings to larger donations, which included £1,200 from the Dorset Echo’s phone and text competition.

The combined fundraising efforts amassed more than £450,000, with the hospital pledging a further £150,000 to help the appeal smash its £500,000 target.

She said: “Even the small amounts soon mounted up and we did have some large donations from people, which was nice.”