For 100 years the WI has made a difference - and it shows no sign of stopping.

Beaminster WI has been fundraising for Dorset County Hospital Charity Cancer Appeal this year as part of its ongoing support for local charities. The group is celebrating its centenary year and has chosen three charities to benefit from their fundraising events and activities.

Simon Pearson, head of fundraising at Dorset County Hospital Charity, visited the group to talk about the appeal and to receive a cheque for £250. The cheque was presented by Beaminster WI president, Lynda Beazer.

Mr Pearson said: “We are very grateful to Lynda and the other members of this group for their support for the cancer appeal and for all their fundraising efforts. We know a lot of hard work has gone into this donation and we really appreciate everything they have been doing to help us.

“This kind of help is especially valuable because it helps spread the word about our hospital charity and about the projects we are working on. The cancer appeal is the biggest fundraising project the charity has ever had and it is very important to us. We would like to express our thanks to Beaminster WI and to all those in the local community and in other parts of Dorset who have supported us.”

The cancer appeal is supporting a £9million project bringing radiotherapy services to Dorchester for the first time.

As part of this project Dorset County Hospital Charity is raising £1.75 million to build a new Cancer and Haematology Outpatients Department on top of the radiotherapy unit.

When the project is complete, patients from north, west and south Dorset who currently have to travel to Poole for radiotherapy treatment will be able to receive this treatment in Dorchester.

To date, more than £1.65million has been raised out of the £1.75 million target.

For more information, visit dchft.nhs.uk/charity or phone 01305 253215.