The Arc shopping centre in Bury St Edmunds has chosen to support the town’s hospital in its fundraising efforts for 2017/18.

The shopping centre has chosen My WiSH – which supports all areas of West Suffolk Hospital – as its charity of the year and is already planning a calendar of fundraising events.

My WiSH has just announced its bid to raise more than £500,000 to build a new cardiac centre at the hospital and the Every Heart Matters appeal was officially launched last month.

Colin Roberts, centre manager at the Arc, said: “By supporting and making My WiSH our charity of the year, we hope this will raise their profile in the minds of our customers, while also adding some much needed funds to enable them to keep up their amazing work.

“We are very excited to work with them in the future, helping to donate just a little to such a big cause. It means everything to us at the centre and we are proud to be at the centre of our local community.”

Sue Smith, fundraising manager at My WiSH, said: “We are thrilled to have been chosen by the Arc shopping centre as their charity of the year.

“We are everyone’s local charity, supporting their local hospital and to have been chosen is just incredible. During our charity year, one area we will focus on is our newly launched Every Heart Matters appeal.

“This is our biggest appeal yet and sees us aiming to raise £500,000 to provide a fully-integrated cardiac centre at West Suffolk Hospital.

“With heart problems affecting one in three people, providing this centre for the community of west Suffolk is vital and we want to pass on our sincere thanks to the Arc for giving us the opportunity to make this dream a reality.”