A HOSPICE has received one of its biggest ever single donations in the form of a cheque for £50,000 from John Watson OBE.

The Marie Curie Hospice at Stobhill in Glasgow has been given the cash by entrepreneur Mr Watson who ran the Glasgow printer John Watson and Co until October 2013. Mr Watson retired from the business after it was bought for an undisclosed multi-million pound sum by Multi Color Corporation of Ohio.

The gift - the largest single donation since the hospice's Big Build appeal in 2010 - equates to 3125 hours of nursing care and once the Government's tax-free giving scheme Gift Aid is taken into account its value rises to £62,500.

Marie Curie Cancer Care's Chief Executive Dr Jane Collins flew to Glasgow from London to receive the donation personally.

Dr Collins said: "John's generous donation of £50,000 will pay for the running of the hospice for a week. Over the past 12 years John's dedication has benefitted hundreds of patients and we're extremely grateful to him for his ongoing commitment to Marie Curie."

Mr Watson was one of the Big Build fund-raising team under the chairmanship of the late Donald Storrie, which raised £16.1 million to plan and build the new facility, and still serves on the fund-raising board.

The Marie Curie Hospice replaced the former Hunters-hill hospice, which was considered to be no longer fit for purpose.

The announcement that a new hospice was to be built led to a huge fund-raising drive by the citizens of Glasgow and others further afield.

Mr Watson said:"I'm delighted to have made this personal donation, which will go to helping care for people at the hospice."

The Marie Curie Hospice, Glasgow, cares for approximately 1400 terminally ill patients and their families every year. It needs £5.3 million per year (£14,500 a day) to offer in-patient care in the 30-bed unit as well as day-patient services and community nursing.