A community’s dream of building an innovative centre for people with life-limiting illnesses is more than three-quarters of the way to its target – thanks to a late Christmas gift.

Halesworth Community Nursing Care Fund (HCNCF) has taken a big leap forward with the award of a £60,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation towards its information and support centre (ISC) appeal.

The money takes the total raised so far to £542,000 – more than 75% of the £714,000 target.

Ted Edwards, ISC chairman, said: “This is an absolutely fantastic late Christmas present for the charity and a wonderful start to the new year.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Wolfson Foundation for their generosity which has brought this valuable project one step closer.

“The foundation’s donation takes the total raised so far to more than 75% of our target, which means we can start to draw up tender documentation with a view to appointing a contractor to begin work on site.

“This is brilliant news for the people of east Suffolk and south Norfolk who currently have to travel much further afield to access the sort of help and support we will be providing at the ICS.”

The ISC aims to bring a full range of holistic services closer to home for patients with cancer and other life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers.

This includes benefits and legal advice, wig-fitting, children and family support, complementary therapies, help understanding a diagnosis, counselling and bereavement support, and wellbeing advice. Anyone with a life limiting condition will be welcome to drop in and use the services on offer.

The centre will be built on land adjacent to Cutlers Hill Surgery in Halesworth, and will serve people living in a 15-mile radius of the town.

The Wolfson Foundation is an independent charity which supports and promotes excellence in the fields of science, health, education and the arts.

It has awarded more than £800m to over 10,000 projects throughout the UK since it was established in 1955, with all grants made following an expert review.