A surprise £100,000 windfall will help plug a funding shortage at a community hospice and nursing home in the Western Isles.
The vital donation from the Beinn Mhor Power company which is building a giant windfarm on Lewis comes at a time when the Bethesda Hospice at Stornoway is struggling with covering its running costs.
The charity, which is marking 20 years of free care for island cancer patients, has suffered a cut in funding from NHS Western Isles as a result of government curbs on public spending. Another blow is the economic squeeze affecting islanders, resulting in lower donations from volunteer fundraising and community events which are needed to cover the annual shortfall.
Some 900 patients have been cared for in the hospice, which costs £420,000 a year to run, and a further 200 people in the nursing home over the past 20 years.
The donation was made by International Power, which took over Beinn Mhor Power just three weeks ago.
London-based International Power – which is 70% owned by French firm GDF SUEZ – will start construction of the £230million windfarm next year.