Time is running out. . .

With just three weeks to go before the Divine Light Appeal's deadline, there's still £15,000 to raise.

And all you have to do is buy a £1 ticket to enter the Divine Light Appeal's Grand Raffle, which will be running in St George's Shopping Centre from next week.

St George's are joining forces with the Citizen to help promote the Divine Light Appeal and centre manager Carol Lowde has given the Parish Prospect Preston (PPP) permission to set up a display in the Rotunda to sell tickets for the Grand Raffle.

With top prizes ranging from an item of jewellery worth £500 from Whittles to tickets for Blackpool Pleasure Beach, you can't afford to miss out.

But, remember, you're got to be in it to win it.

And you've got until the end of September to take part, so don't hesitate to pop into the centre and do your bit for the community.

The appeal - which needs to find a total of £65,000 to floodlight St John's Church in time for the Millennium - still has £15,000 to raise. Preston Police are backing the campaign. They believe that the increased lighting in Church Street will help reduce crime in that area of the town centre.

And Red Rose Magic 999 DJs have also pledged support - by plugging the campaign on air.

Local business are also adding their weight to the Divine Light Appeal. And the town's recent bid for city status would mean that St John's, a civic church, will be Preston's cathedral if the application is a success.

Fund-raiser Roger Argall said: "We just need one last push to raise the remaining £15,000. The Church Floodlighting Fund, local companies and individuals have all donated cash towards the scheme - which we hope will be in place in time for New Year's Eve."

Send donations to the PPP, St John's Church, Church Street, Preston.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.