Winner's £25k hospice donation matched by lottery

A lottery winner who donated £25,000 of her prize to a Kent hospice which cared for her late husband says she is "thrilled" her donation has been matched by the company which ran the draw.

Linda Styles donated the money to the Heart of Kent Hospice in Aylesford in August after winning £250,000 in the People's Postcode Lottery.

Styles, whose husband, Owen, spent eight days at the hospice before his death in March, said: "I can never say a big enough thank you."

Ann-Marie Kelly, chief executive of the Heart of Kent Hospice, said: "We're delighted to receive this additional award. It will directly support those with a terminal illness under our care now and into the future."

The donation was funded by players of the People's Postcode Lottery which have raised more than £1.5 billion for thousands of charities and local good causes.

It costs £7.6m a year to provide services at the hospice but only 20% of that funding comes from the government.

The hospices says this means it relies on voluntary donations for the other 80%.

Styles said: "They've meant so much to me and continue to support me.

"I've been coming back to the hospice to attend the bereavement groups - it's a safe space for us all to share our emotions."

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