SPONSORS of the Hospice in the Weald at Pembury, near Tunbridge Wells, have been meeting to discuss how to raise further funds for the charity.

With a new slogan, the hospice is seeking to "turn silver into gold" for its 25th anniversary in 2005.

Next month it is launching a host of fund-raising events to mark its Silver Jubilee, from which it hopes to raise some £60,000 towards its annual running costs of around £3 million.

Only 10 per cent of the hospice's funding comes from the National Health Service, so support from the 400 square mile, 280,000 strong community it serves in West Kent and East Sussex is vital.

Thanks to the bequest of a car from a late patient, the hospice has secured a special deal with the South East Smart Centre to offer a chic Smart car as top prize in a raffle.

Other major prizes include an Out of This World hot air balloon flight; lifestyle enhancement at the Hilden Park Health Club; £1,000 worth of audio visual equipment from Sevenoaks Hi-Fi and a trip to New York, courtesy of AmeriCan Travel and Continental Airlines.

KM-fm's Ally Barnard has been finding out more about the hospice's plans for 2005...