Macmillan Cancer Relief is urging people to write a Christmas message for the whole office on a poster rather than sending out individual cards.

The charity wants workers to donate the money they would have spent on cards to its South Hampshire Appeal to raise £1m to fund a cancer support and information centre at Southampton General Hospital.

Macmillan is offering people Christmas posters and collection boxes for the purpose.

Appeal manager, Connie McConachie, said: "This is such a simple idea but people are realising that it is much better to write their Christmas greetings on a big poster than for everyone to worry that they have missed a colleague off their card list, and raising money for Macmillan really enters into the spirit of Christmas.

"Companies all over the country participated in this scheme last year. It provided a real boost to our income."