A ukulele band from Deal has presented £500 to the Pilgrims Hospices in memory of a dear friend.

Inspired by the care the charity gave one of the band members last year, the Sunshine Ukes raised the money at gigs and festivals throughout the year.

Band member Lynda Borley said: “It’s been an honour to support Pilgrims Hospices. Our band member Colin Kidd’s wife Francesca was cared for at Pilgrims’ Canterbury hospice earlier this year. It’s a charity close to our hearts.

"Francesca had been a proud supporter ever since the Sunshine Ukes formed five years ago.

“Although she did not play, Francesca was most definitely our honorary mascot and a bright and colourful character.

“She always said she had a remarkable life.”

Members of the band visited the Canterbury hospice to present the cheque.

Then they stayed to play to patients in the therapy centre, giving toe tapping renditions of songs including You Are My Sunshine, Blue Suede Shoes and I’m The King of The Swingers.

Band member Carole Barrett has also been touched by the hospice’s care and spoke highly of the services for families.

She said: “My husband attended Pilgrims for breathlessness management two years ago.

When he passed away, I found the counselling services offered at Pilgrims incredibly helpful.

"I shared a counselling group with six people who had all lost a spouse. We all found it very useful to share experiences and still remain friends.”

She said: “It makes me very proud to be supporting Pilgrims Hospices in this way. We had tremendous fun playing in the band and raising funds for charity.”

Pilgrims Hospices’ individual giving manager, Sara Scriven, accepted the cheque.

She said: “It was a fantastic afternoon with the Sunshine Ukes band playing for our patients.

We are very grateful for their fantastic contribution.

“Not only did they present £500, they even brought along a further £150 in cash raised by the Friday Ukulele Club too.”

For more information about fundraising or patient care visit pilgrimshospices.org