Prospect Hospice has raised more than £1m in little more than two months.

The Wroughton-based charity launched an urgent appeal in May. It was feared it faced a £2m budget black hole as a result of the pandemic shutting its shops, halting fundraising efforts and increasing the workload of nurses and carers.

Bosses have now revealed that £1,019,000 was raised in around 10 weeks. The Help Us To Support You Appeal, which was launched on May 12, hopes to raise £2m to plug the financial shortfall the hospice faces.

Sheryl Crouch, head of income at Prospect Hospice, said: “We couldn’t have predicted the response we’ve had from our supporters and to know that we’ve raised over half of the funds we so desperately need in the space of just ten weeks is incredible. We know that the hospice has had a great impact on many local people and it’s heart-warming that they’re supporting us at this time so that we can be there for others who need us now and in the future. Support from local authorities and money from national government recognising the importance of hospice care has also been gratefully received.

“We’re not out of the woods yet though. £1m is brilliant but we need to raise the same again in additional income over the next few months to ensure our services continue and adapt to what our patients need in these changing and testing times.

“With our shops re-opening teamed with the thousands of donations of pre-loved goods we’ve received, this is certainly positive news for the hospice but our events remain postponed or cancelled for 2020 so we really need the support of local people to help us raise these funds in any way they can.”

Bosses asked people to help by playing the hospice's lottery, shopping at its charity shops, holding online fundraising events or donating online.

During the pandemic Prospect overhauled its day-to-day operation. It was reportedly the only hospice to completely shut its inpatient unit, setting up a 24-hour helpline for GPs and supporting terminally-ill patients in their own homes. The hospice has since reopened a limited number of inpatient beds on its Wroughton site.

Chief executive Irene Watkins said in May: "We are supporting people in their homes on a scale of operation we have never attempted before, at a time when income is all but drying up now that all community activities and events have been cancelled/postponed and all our shops closed.”

To donate to Prospect, visit: www.prospect-hospice.net/donate.