Mystery donor leaves hospice £900,000 in will

Sushma Dhami, head of St Clare's patient and family support, said the donor wished to remain anonymous

Hospice staff have told of their surprise and delight after a mystery donor left £900,000 to the facility in their will.

St Clare Hospice near Harlow, Essex, has provided free support to adults with life-limiting illnesses, their families and carers for the past 32 years.

The donor, from Loughton, wished to remain anonymous but the charity said they wanted to ensure the hospice continued its important work.

Sushma Dhami, head of patient and family support, said the gift means the charity can invest more money into bereavement support and its GriefLine telephone service.

"St Clare Hospice needs to raise over £7.3m each year to be able to provide our specialist, compassionate services to local people, including those living in Loughton and the surrounding areas," she added.

Rosie Knowles, director of fundraising, said: "It is an amazing gift and we are blown away and over the moon.

"This [the money] means we can invest in our bereavement support services and looking after the family after the death of a loved one.

"The demand for our bereavement services is huge and we see it as our duty to provide that care.

"We are so grateful. It is amazing that somebody would be so selflessly generous."

Ms Knowles said it was the largest gift the hospice had received since it began its services in the 1990s.