FUNDRAISERS from St Luke’s Hospice are making an urgent appeal for help as alarming figures show donations are at least £80,000 down.

The hospice, based in Nethermayne, Basildon, is coming to terms with a major shortfall in donations, due to the recession.

Staff and volunteers were hoping to make 2010 a bumper year for fundraising as it marks the hospice’s 20th anniversary of providing care for terminally ill people across south Essex.

However, things are not off to the best start.

In December, the hospice launched its annual Christmas Envelope Appeal, highlighting its financial plight because of the recession.

It was hoped the campaign would pull back some of the income shortfall, which was around £75,000, but figures show this not to be the case and income has continued to slide.

Marilyn DeBattista, head of revenue services at St Lukes, said: “Our Christmas 2007 appeal raised £26,000 and last year’s appeal income dropped to £20,000.

“Current up-to-date income on the 2009 appeal is showing a figure of £15,458, which is almost 25 per cent down on the previous year.

“Given the weather and hold-ups in the postal system before Christmas, it may well be that this figure could rise. But realistically, at the moment, it seems unlikely to reach the level we had hoped for.

“This is a very worrying trend, especially when balanced against the number of people coming to us for help which, since the start of 2009, has increased by almost 32 per cent.”

During the appeal, 140,000 envelopes, sponsored by Thurrock and Basildon College, were posted to every household in the Basildon and Thurrock area.

Fundraisers are now appealing to companies and individuals to take St Luke’s under their wing as their New Year resolution and commit to supporting them in their anniversary year.

“We are asking schools, companies and residents to support us in any way they can,” added Marilyn.

It costs more than £2.4million per year to run the hospice’s wide range of care services.

If you want to help, call 01268 524973 or visit www.stlukes hospice.com