AN ARMY of volunteer supporters will be playing a key role on Ark Day as they collect donations in Festival Place.

A key part of Friday will be a charity collection in Festival Place from 10am to 4pm.

Ark Cancer Centre Charity supporters will be at several locations in the shopping centre, and the team behind Ark Day hope that people will respond to the message at the heart of the Ark Day campaign – you can help to make a big difference by donating just £1.

Neil Churchill, centre director at Festival Place, said: “This is a fantastic cause and we are happy to support Ark Day and encourage our wonderful customers to come along and find out more about it”.

“This cancer treatment centre will make a huge difference to people across the region, and we’re delighted to be able to help.”

Mark Jones, director of fundraising and communications at Ark Cancer Centre Charity, said: “Thank you to Neil Churchill, centre director of Festival Place, and his team for allowing our Ark Day team to do this charity collection, and we hope that local people will support it generously.The message at the heart of this campaign is that there are nearly 180,000 people who live in Basingstoke and Deane, so it would make a big difference if everyone donated just £1 on Ark Day.”

“Thanks so much to all of the people who have volunteered to help out by manning the collection points, and thanks to everyone who donates tomorrow. Every pound counts.

As well as making donations into the bucket collections, youngsters will have the chance to help paint a large ceramic Ark Day mascot Moneypenny pig, thanks to Pots2Paint, from Viables Craft Centre. Donations can be made to take part in the painting, and the completed pig will be sold to raise further funds for the Ark Day campaign.

The Gazette will be running a live blog on Friday, covering all Ark Day fundraising activities. Send details of what you are doing for the day and any pictures to newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk.