THE Macmillan Worcestershire Appeal is offering local people at work the chance to help neighbours affected by cancer this Christmas, at no extra cost to themselves.

Macmillan will send them a jumbo Christmas poster on which they and their colleagues can write their Christmas greetings.

The poster will be accompanied by a seasonal collection box in which they can donate the money which they would otherwise have spent on office Christmas cards. Everyone benefits - they save time (and trees), and Macmillan is able to help more people living with cancer in Worcestershire.

Jon Rayner, Macmillan's organiser for Worcestershire, said, 'This is such a simple idea but it can raise significant amounts of money.

"It's so much easier for employees to write their Christmas greetings on a big poster for everyone to see, rather than worry that they have missed a colleague off their card list.

"Raising money for Macmillan in this way really enters into the spirit of Christmas, and we shall use the money locally to improve cancer services in Worcestershire. Last year companies, schools and groups all over the county participated in this scheme and it provided a real boost to our income."

The Macmillan Worcestershire Appeal is raising money for two new specialist Macmillan nurses in the county. One is a lung cancer specialist, and the second will support patients with stomach and upper intestinal cancer.

Macmillan Cancer Relief helps more than 200,000 people a year through funding essential services like specialist nurses and doctors, cancer centres and grants for patients in financial need.

With four in ten people likely to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, these services have never been so important.

Last year in Worcestershire alone, more than £33,000 was given in patient grants to people in financial difficulties because of their illness.

To order a poster and collection box, call 01527 892540 or email worcestershire@macmillan.org.uk.