Lottery Winner's £25K Hospice Gift Doubled by Company

When Linda Styles won £250,000 in the lottery last August, she knew exactly where some of that money needed to go.

Styles donated £25,000 to the Heart of Kent Hospice in Aylesford, where her husband Owen spent his final eight days before passing away in March. The staff provided not just medical care, but compassion during the hardest moments of her life.

Now, the People's Postcode Lottery has matched her donation dollar for dollar. That means the hospice just received £50,000 total to support families facing terminal illness.

"I can never say a big enough thank you," Styles said when learning about the matched donation. She continues to attend bereavement support groups at the hospice, calling it "a safe space for us all to share our emotions."

Ann-Marie Kelly, chief executive of the hospice, said the funds will directly support patients and families now and into the future. For a facility that depends on donations for 80% of its £7.6 million annual budget, this gift makes a real difference.

The Ripple Effect

The story highlights a funding reality many don't know: government funding covers only 20% of what it costs to run the Heart of Kent Hospice. The remaining 80% comes from people like Styles and organizations willing to amplify generosity.

When lottery companies match donations, they transform individual kindness into community impact. Styles' £25,000 became £50,000, funding additional nurses, pain management resources, and bereavement services for dozens of families.

Her continued involvement with the hospice shows how care extends beyond medical treatment. The bereavement groups she attends help survivors process grief together, turning painful loss into shared healing.

This doubled donation will help ensure more families receive the same compassionate care that supported Styles and Owen during their most vulnerable time.

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