LOADING up their van and taking the goods from shop to shop won't be a problem for Prospect Hospice thanks to a £15,000 grant.

The hospice, based in Wroughton, has been given the grant by the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of the Swindon Advert-iser's parent company Gannett.

The charity is using the cash to buy a second vehicle to service their seven charity shops based in Swindon, Wootton Bassett, Marlbor-ough and Pewsey.

Andrew Thompson, trust fundraiser, said: "The grant from the Gannett Foundation will have a direct impact on the care the Prospect Hospice provides in the local community by enabling us to raise much-needed funds.

"A new van will greatly improve the distribution of quality goods which have been donated to us across the seven shops, which together brought in more than £600,000 gross last year.

"A second shop vehicle would also enable us to respond in a timelier and more complete way to the requests of bereaved families as they struggle to adjust to the reality of life without a person important to them."

Earlier this year we asked groups across the town that would benefit from a grant to get in touch.

Donations ranged from £1,000 to £5,000.

The Gannett Foundation supports projects that take a creative approach to issues, including assisting disadvantaged people, neighbourhood improvements, education, youth development and environmental conservation.

Prospect Hospice has received other grants from the Gannett Foundation in the past.

The first of its seven shops opened in 1988 in Swindon.

Since then more and more people have become interested in charity shops and a growing demand for recycling schemes have meant good business.

Each of the shops has a manager, but they rely heavily on the goodwill of more than 300 specially trained volunteers who man the counters.

Mr Thompson added: "We are enormously grateful to the Gannett Foundation for this very generous financial boost." This year is the 25th anniversary of the hospice and due to the generosity of the local community with its donations, it has been able to increase its in-patient beds from 10 to 14.

This means the services are available to all patients, irrespective of their diagnosis.