NORTH Kent hospices are celebrating after scooping a share of a whopping £50m Government hand-out.

Gravesham MP Chris Pond ensured Kent’s £845,000 portion of the money would be available for the Ellenor Foundation and Lions Hospice.

Mr Pond wrote to the area’s Primary Care Trust (PCT) expressing the concerns of the hospices that central funds were not “getting through”.

PCT chief executive Stephanie Stanwick wrote back confirming a share of the money would be made available to hospices.

The PCT has yet to announce how much each hospice will get.

Mr Pond said: “I am delighted the hospices will receive an additional investment.” Lions Hospice fundraising manager Carol Friett welcomed the extra investment and said: “We’re pleased we’ll be able to move forward very positively knowing the PCT is behind us.

“The money is ring-fenced to help with certain care provisions, particularly to increase the availability of 24-hour support.” Ellenor Foundation director of development Julie Robinson said: “We’ve been working collectively to identify what’s needed in the area.

“We’ll continue to work very hard with other agencies like this to get the support we need.”