THE Duke of Gloucester has given St Luke’s Hospice the royal seal of approval.

He presented the Winsford charity with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service for its work caring for people living with life limiting illnesses.

Long serving volunteer and hospice trustee Judith Cadwallader received the award.

She said: “Like many other volunteers at the hospice, I find that my role here gives me great satisfaction.

“It is a two way process and we all feel we receive as much as we get. My life is enriched by the contact I have with the good cause that we all believe so much in and knowing what we do makes a difference.”

The Queen’s Award is the highest honour that can be handed to groups such as St Luke’s Hospice and is equivalent in status to an MBE.

St Luke’s was nominated for the award by late hospice volunteer and patient Clare Stockdale and Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien.