'True English gentleman' leaves £1m to hospice

Leonard Fuller was a mechanical engineer who worked until he was 82

A hospice has received a £1m legacy gift from a "true English gentleman" it cared for in the final days of his life.

The Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover, Hampshire, was left its largest-ever legacy by Leonard Fuller, who passed away from cancer in 2024 at the age of 86.

Mr Fuller, a former mechanical engineer, founded and ran a successful business specialising in making bespoke lorry trailers. He continued working until retiring aged 82.

His only surviving relative, James Adams from Horndean, said Mr Fuller was deeply grateful to the hospice for enabling him to spend his final days in the comfort of his beloved family home.

The Countess of Brecknock Hospice received the £1m cheque from Mr Fuller's estate

"The hospice were outstanding in what they did," said Mr Adams, who affectionately referred to Mr Fuller as his uncle.

He explained that the hospice provided on-call care at home, allowing Mr Fuller to remain where he felt most comfortable.

The most important thing for his uncle "was to be at home" and the hospice were committed to making that happen, he said.

Mr Adams said his uncle was a "fascinating" man and "an old school English gentleman" whose final wish in his will was for "everything to go to charity".

'Extraordinary generosity'

He said his "work, values, and quiet generosity have left a permanent mark on Andover and its people".

"This final gift is exactly in character, - a legacy not just of money but of dignity, dedication, and care for others."

Clare Scheckter, chair of trustees at the hospice, said: "This extraordinary act of generosity will help to fund principally our community nursing services, from which Leonard Fuller benefited, and will also augment our new Forever Fund, which has been established to assist with securing the future financial stability of the hospice."

She said Mr Fuller's donation was a testament to the "professionalism and kindness" their clinicians, who care for 10 inpatients and almost 300 outpatients in the community.

She added that his "kindness and vision will live on in the care we are able to offer to others".