City's young professionals help get our Christmas appeal off to fine start

One of the latest cash pledges came from a group of local young professionals in Leeds, and will benefit local charities to the tune of 1,000.

The Professional 100 Club – a corporate networking group for young professionals – held a charity raffle at its annual dinner, and has pledged the 500 raised to the Communities in Need Appeal which aims to help those less fortunate by raising money for grassroots charities and projects across the region.

The Government's offer to match-fund donations through its Grassroots Grants programme means the pledge will be worth 1,000 to our appeal.

Chairwoman of the P100 Club, Alex Fogal, said: "As a group of young professionals based in Leeds, we loved the idea that the money we raised could be invested in local community projects in the area where most of us live and work.

"The matched funding was a great incentive, too, knowing that every 5 we raised could turn into 10 for local groups.

"We are fully behind this really important campaign."

Sally-Anne Greenfield of the Yorkshire Community Foundations – which will distribute the money to charities on behalf of Yorkshire Post readers – said: "It is great so see the club has shown such an interest in the local community, and to raise 500 on just one night was excellent."

Mrs Greenfield said cheques for the appeal are now arriving on a daily basis.

Many have been accompanied by messages from readers moved by the Yorkshire Post's ongoing investigation into poverty around the region.

Nearly 200,000 pensioners across Yorkshire are now living in poverty and older people are being hit hardest by spiralling inflation.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that nearly one in five of the region's pensioners are living below the poverty line, with a Yorkshire Forward report warning that there are now "two nations in old age".