THE Leven Valley Fundraising Support Group for St Mary’s Hospice handed over the keys for a brand new car to the charity on Friday.

The group raised just over £10,000 with events throughout the year including a raffle, flower arranging event and annual fun fair.

Their hard work paid off when the much-needed car was delivered last week – the first new one bought by a fundraising support group for the Ulverston hospice, which will be used for fundraising and going out into the community.

The group’s Chair, Dorothy Crabtree, said: “It was an absolutely fantastic moment handing over the keys – a few of us had a tear in our eyes.

“People are so generous and we’re very grateful to the local businesses who give us raffle prizes, and Guy Perry Ltd, Barrow in Furness, who supplied the car at a much discounted price to us.”

St Mary's Hospice Chief Executive Val Stangoe said: "The car is absolutely gorgeous - it's so kind of them to put the money together to get something like this for us."

The Group’s next event will be a performance by male voice quartet Voce at The Café Ambio, Lakeland Motor Museum, Backbarrow on November 21.

Tickets - available from Dorothy Crabtree 015395 30132 or Sylvia Chadwick 015395 31685 - can be booked and paid for at the door on the night.