The National Lottery has boosted funding for hospice patient support in Worcestershire with an over £16,000 donation.

The grant of £16,642 was awarded to St Richard’s Hospice by the National Lottery Community Fund.

The funding will go towards bolstering the hospice’s Living Well services for people with incurable illnesses including cancer, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and others.

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Over the past year, the hospice provided support for 542 people navigating their conditions.

Therapy days, courses and workshops are among the provisions of the Living Well service that will benefit from the boost.

Classes such as Tai Chi, managing fatigue, relaxation for wellbeing, and breathlessness are also well attended.

Other well-attended sessions include Nature for Wellbeing and creative workshops.

Charlotte Nicholls, head of Living Well services, said: "We’re delighted and grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for this wonderful grant which will help us to reach even more patients and their carers when they need us."

She added: "We support individuals to learn how to manage their symptoms independently, enabling them to live fully by doing what matters most to them as people.

"They do this through the specialist support that they receive at the hospice, and also by meeting other people that are living with incurable illnesses.

"The sense of shared experience that people find in the hospice community is invaluable."

A recent patient said: "A huge thank you for the work of this caring and nurturing group of people.

"I was made to feel very welcome and very special, and have received help and encouragement every step of the way, along with practical help and ideas.

"Thank you."

A recent addition to St Richard’s efforts is the Wellbeing Café, open every Wednesday from 10.30am to 3pm, catering to anyone affected by incurable illness.

Patients are given expert advice, community service directions, and a platform to share their experiences at the café.

St Richard’s Hospice, free to adults with incurable illnesses, relies heavily on volunteers and community support.

It requires roughly £12 million annually to sustain its operations, with much of its income generated from donations, wills, retail, and events, with the remaining funds provided by the NHS.