IT was thanks to you the dream of building a new cancer centre for north Essex became a reality.

After four years of tireless campaigning from the Gazette, Colchester Hospitals Charity and fundraising groups, awareness has been raised of the importance of a state-of-the-art facility.

Now, the £3.25million target is close to being reached and it is only months until works starts on the life-changing centre.

Now, we are calling on you for support again.

The Cancer Centre Campaign is in the running for a national press award.

As part of a 26-strong shortlist, the Gazette campaign is in with a chance of winning the title of the best regional newspaper campaign of the year.

The winner to be chosen by public vote so we are asking for to vote for the campaign.

The public vote will go live today – the start of Local Newspaper Week – with the winner to be announced by News Media Association chairman David Dinsmore at the Regional Press Awards ceremony in London on Friday.

TO vote for the Gazette, click here and click on the button for The Colchester Evening Gazette Cancer Centre Campaign. There will then be an option to vote for that particular campaign. The option to vote will go live at 9.30am today and will close at 5pm on Wednesday.