A CANCER survivor has donated a £1000 cash prize from a housing trust incentive to St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice.

John Lycett, 69, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004 and received respite care from the Day Hospice at St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice, in Winsford.

John, who now lives in the Grange neighbourhood, won £1000 from the Weaver Vale Housing Trust’s reward programme, and immediately decided to donate the money to the hospice that 'kept him alive'.

John said: “Throughout my time at St Luke’s everyone made me feel comfortable to be myself during a difficult time.

“I was able to laugh, tell jokes and talk about every day things with staff members and other patients. St Luke’s kept me going, kept me active and kept me alive.

“When I found out I’d won £1,000 from the Weaver Vale Housing Trust reward scheme I knew straight away I wanted the money to go directly to St Luke’s to help them continue the important and vital work they deliver.”

Weaver Vale Housing Trust is piloting the reward scheme, which will run until the end of April, in two neighbourhoods.

In the Grange neighbourhood there is a chance to win £1,000 each month and in Barnton tenants can earn £5.00 per month in shopping vouchers.

Rhys Edwards, corporate and community fundraiser said: “We are thrilled and extremely grateful John has chosen to donate his prize money to our hospice.

“St Luke’s cares for patients and their families at some of the most distressing times of their lives.

“John’s donation will make an incredible difference to the hospice as St Luke’s needs to raise £7,500 a day to keep running. Thank you John.”

Weaver Vale Housing Trust’s service development manager, Gary Hood, who is managing the programme, said: “It’s such a generous gesture of Mr Lycett to donate his £1,000 prize to St Luke’s.

“It is such a worthy local cause that we as a Trust have supported in the past and we know they will make the best use of the money.”