Barnsley Hospice has received a donation of £3,000 from the Freemasons as part of a national scheme celebrating the life of the Duke of Edinburgh.

The money has been donated by the Mark Benevolent Fund, which is the official charity of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. It is part of £1.3 million fund being given away to over 250 hospices throughout England and Wales as a tribute to Prince Phillip, who was a life-long supporter of the hospice movement.

Barnsley resident John Sealey, a member of the Lightcliffe Mark Masons and long-standing supporter of the hospice, presented the donation.

Janet O’Hara, the hospice's grants, trusts and legacies fundraiser said: “We are delighted that Freemasons continue to support the hospice with such a generous contribution to our running costs. Donations such as this one will help us to maintain and grow our services, to best support the people of Barnsley.”

Barnsley Hospice needs to raise nearly £2m each year to fund patient care and support for families. It relies entirely on fundraising and donations to achieve this amount. Additional funding is provided to the hospice by the NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).