A WIDOWER has signed up to become the first ambassador for a pioneering scheme to raise £100,000 for a North-East hospice as a thank you to staff who cared for his wife and her family.

Olga Kay died of cervical cancer at the age of 40 in March last year after being cared for at Willow Burn Hospice, at Maiden Law near Lanchester.

Her husband Malcolm Kay, of Barnhill, in Stanley, was so inspired by the care and attention staff gave her that he has pledged to raise funds for the hospice, which marks its 25th anniversary this year.

The hospice hopes to recruit 20 ambassadors to help spread the word of the good work it does and 49-year-old car mechanic Mr Kay was the first to sign up.

He said: “The staff at Willow Burn were wonderful to Olga. We couldn’t have asked for more.

“She came from a large family and relatives were able to visit at any time, day or night.

“The staff at Willow Burn became friends. They couldn’t have done more for us. They were a massive comfort at a hugely upsetting time.”

Hospice chief executive Helen Mills said ambassadors will be asked to go out in the local community, addressing groups such as women’s institutes and rotary clubs, explaining about Willow Burn.

“We may have been around for 25 years but there are people in the community who aren’t aware of us,” Mrs Mills said.

“Unless you have a relative who has been a patient in Willow Burn or you have been involved in fundraising you may not be aware of the hospice on your doorstep.”

It is hoped that each of the 20 ambassadors will recruit five fundraisers, who will pledge to raise £1,000 each next year, making a total of £100,000.

“It will be a little like pyramid selling, but for a good cause,” added Mrs Mills.

The hospice, which relies heavily on contributions from the community, recently raised £5,118 at a Christmas fair held at St Bede’s School, Lanchester.

Having opened in December 1989, the hospice, which provides care for people across Derwentside, was boosted by a new-look £1.4m day care centre offering palliative and end-of-life care last year.

Bosses hope to raise a further £4.3m to complete its transformation by 2020.

A £2.2m in-patient hospice is planned, taking the number of overnight beds up from four to six, along with a well-being centre offering physiotherapy, occupational therapy, assisted daily living kitchens, a hydrotherapy pool, sauna, complementary therapy room and bereavement suite.

For more information, visit willow-burn.co.uk