Kate ScotterPeople are being urged to help give a campaign to raise money for a city-based charity a final push as it nears the �20,000 mark.Eve Collishaw, the Lord Mayor of Norwich, and Tim O'Riordan, the Sheriff of Norwich, have fundraised tirelessly over the past nine months to raise money for Voluntary Norfolk.Kate Scotter

People are being urged to help give a campaign to raise money for a city-based charity a final push as it nears the �20,000 mark.

Eve Collishaw, the Lord Mayor of Norwich, and Tim O'Riordan, the Sheriff of Norwich, have fundraised tirelessly over the past nine months to raise money for Voluntary Norfolk.

The Norwich-based charity was chosen as their civic charity in a bid to raise the profile of the organisation, which celebrated its 40th anniversary last year, to encourage more people to volunteer and to boost funds.

During their time in office, the pair have helped organise a number of events including a Chinese New Year charity dinner held last week, which raised �8,000.

Now, calls are being made to help them reach �20,000 before their time in office is over.

Brian Horner, Voluntary Norfolk's chief executive, said: 'The total amount raised for the civic charity is approaching �20,000 and we are all hoping that we will be able to reach that magic number by the end of the civic year in May. It will be wonderful if we do, especially given the recession and the fact that we are not a front-line charity.

'We are most grateful to the Lord Mayor and Sheriff for choosing us as their civic charity and for backing us with their unstinting enthusiasm.

'The success of the Chinese New Year dinner - and indeed of our year thus far - would not have been possible without their energy and support and we greatly appreciate all that they have done for Voluntary Norfolk.'

Last Tuesday's Chinese New Year event, held at the Riverbank Chinese Buffet Restaurant in Norwich, saw 150 people enjoy a dinner featuring a traditional Chinese lion dance, an auction and grand tombola. About 40 items and promises were auctioned, with the highest selling lot of the evening being tea and a tour of the House of Lords donated by Baroness Hollis of Heigham.

Other prizes included a ride on the footplate of a steam locomotive on the North Norfolk Railway, which fetched �100, a glider flight with Norfolk Gliding Club which went for �140 and a signed print by world-renowned artist Paula Rego which sold for �130.

Ms Collishaw said: 'It was a wonderfully colourful evening and we are most grateful to the owners of the Riverbank for their kindness to the city and civic charity, to local businesses and organisations for their many generous donations and to all the guests who came and who helped to raise such a splendid amount for Voluntary Norfolk.'

t The Evening News has been backing the Lord Mayor and Sheriff's support for Voluntary Norfolk. Has the charity helped you in anyway or have you held an event to raise money for the organisation? Call reporter Kate Scotter on 01603 772326 or email kate.scotter@archant.co.uk