BURY Hospice has been chosen as a company's official charity for the next 12 months.

Clock Creative Communications, based in Ramsbottom, marked the launch of its support for the hospice in Dumers Lane with a balloon race at Nuttall Park.

Employees released 312 yellow balloons, each one representing a member of staff or volunteer from Bury Hospice.

Unlike a traditional balloon race where the people who find the balloons win a prize, Clock have decided to donate prizes to the people who work for the hospice instead.

Each member of staff or volunteer was allocated a number that coincides with a unique number printed on each reply card. Should their card have travelled the furthest, Clock will donate a gift of gratitude to that team member, as a special thank you for their tireless work.

The Ramsbottom agency will also offer support by donating a day's work per month free of charge. It will use this time to draw on its marketing expertise to raise Bury Hospice's profile and bring in much-needed revenue.

Its first project was to redesign the hospice's newsletter, a vital tool in communicating to supporters and people in the area the work that the charity does and how funds raised are spent.

Hospice fundraiser, Lesley Marsh said: "We are delighted to have Clock on side for the coming year and we are really looking forward to working with the creative team."

Grace Grieve, PR and communications manager at Clock, commented: "We wanted to support a local charity where we could really make a difference, going beyond simply donating cash.

"We are using the combined skills of our integrated teams to raise the profile of this fantastic organisation."