Stars back terminally-ill poet's fundraiser for Liverpool hospice

Sandra Richardson said the hospice was an "amazing place, full of so much love"

A terminally-ill poet who offered her work in return for donations to the hospice which is caring for her has raised thousands after celebrities backed her efforts.

Sandra Richardson wanted to help Marie Curie Hospice in Liverpool after being "overwhelmed" by staff kindness there.

Poet Benjamin Zephaniah, news anchor Jon Snow and actress Leanne Best were among those filmed reading her work.

The 57-year-old said the response to her efforts had meant "so much to me".

The Bootle poet has raised more than £7,000 and seen over 100 people, including fellow writer John Cooper Clarke and former Everton footballer Graham Stuart, record themselves reading from her book, Most Women I Know, in less than a week.

Clare Beloved (above left) said the hospice's staff were "pure angels"

She had shared a video of herself reading her work and offered people a digital copy of the book in return for a donation, but said she never expected it to be so widely shared.

She said she had been "overwhelmed by the amount of kindness, love [and] care" of the staff at the hospice and felt moved to try and help them.

"It's an amazing place, full of so much love and kindness," she said, adding: "I just wanted to raise a few quid for them."

Her wife Clare Beloved said the hospice staff had "been so incredible; they're pure angels".

She added that the response to her wife's fundraiser was "beautiful".

"Sandra has been someone who has given to others all her life," she said.

"I think people just wanted to give something back to [her]."

The hospice's Julie Zafari said the money raised was "so important" to help with fund care.

She added that the service cost £5.2m a year to run, so "every single penny was vital".