Ashford's Pilgrims Hospice is benefitting from a national trend which is seeing more people supporting charitable lotteries.

Pilgrims Hospices has revealed it has nearly 20,000 members playing to win a first prize of at least £2,000 a week with a possible rollover of as much as £20,000.

Shiralee Riddell, Pilgrims Hospices Lottery manager, said: “Our lottery has benefitted from people’s largesse with ticket sales growing by more than 9% in the past year, despite straitened times. I would like to thank everyone who plays for taking part, their contribution really does make a vital difference."

The news from Pilgrims comes after an announcement by the Gambling Commission revealing that public support for charitable lotteries has risen 50% in the past two years. They now make £155 million annually for good causes across the country.

The lottery provides £600,000 a year for Pilgrims Hospices but the charity needs £10.5million a year to provide care to east Kent residents with life-limiting illnesses.

For more information on the Hospices' lottery visit www.pilgrimshospices.org or call 01227 379741.