THOUSANDS of pounds have been given to two good causes in grants from the charitable arm of the Worcester News' parent company.

The Gannett Foundation has donated £5,000 to St Richard's Hospice and £2,000 to Survivors Worcester.

St Richard's Hospice in Wildwood Drive, Worcester cares for people with life-shortening conditions across Worcestershire and supports their families.

Tricia Cavell, fundraising director at St Richard’s Hospice, said: “We are delighted to accept this generous grant from the Gannett Foundation, which will be used to redevelop the bistro on our In-patient Unit.

“For more than a decade, the bistro has been very well used by relatives and carers visiting their loved ones – and is in need of a refresh.

“We are now looking forward to this area being updated into a homely, comfortable and modern space where our visitors can take time out to reflect, or simply to make a drink.

“Thank you to the Foundation for supporting St Richard’s.”

Survivors Worcester is a drop-in centre for people with past or present mental health issues, where they support each other, and has been running for around 12 years.

Open every Tuesday and Thursday at the St Swithuns Institute in The Trinity, Worcester, around 25 people attend each day and the charity has links to the Maggs Day Centre for homeless people and similar organisations in the city.

Kerry Aingel, chairman of Survivors Worcester, said: "We have an art therapist on a Tuesday, Claire Hilton, and part of the grant is to go towards funding her and art materials.

"That's an invaluable part of the centre because it gets new people to come in and then open up and talk. We want to reach more people in the 18 to 30 age group."

Part of the grant will be used to repair a pool table which is popular with Survivors Worcester regulars, added Kerry, who has been chairman since October 2017 after previously being a volunteer for six months.

The Gannett Foundation is the charitable arm of Newsquest Media Group, the owner of the Worcester News and its sister titles.

In this year's round of the annual grants, the foundation has given nearly £300,000 to 50 good causes around the UK. In the last 10 years, more than £10million has been donated by the trustees.

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