A £250,000 grant has been awarded to St Luke's Hospice in Kenton but fundraising still remains as crucial as ever.

The care centre, which offers respite for terminally ill patients, was given the money by the Big Lottery Grant this month and will use it to help recruit volunteers.

But although care workers are thrilled, they want more community groups to become aware of the vital work it carries out.

Pam Russell, spokeswoman for St Luke's Hospice, said: "The hospice could not function without its network of volunteers and their extraordinary commitment. The money will help us reach out to people from all cultures, backgrounds and faiths to provide them with a better access to hospice care and the services provided here at St Luke's.

"The contribution of our volunteers to the hospice is huge and we estimate that it would cost more than £750,000 a year in salaries to employ staff to do all the work they do. We are delighted we have been awarded the money and can't wait to start using it to help recruit more volunteers."

St Luke's is an independent charity serving both Harrow and Brent. All its services are free of charge. The charity relies heavily on volunteers to carry out work because they receive little funding from central government.

At the moment the hospice has more than 650 volunteers and is one of the largest users of volunteers in the area.

People can volunteer to work in one of its 11 charity shops, become a fundraiser, gardener, driver, or bereavement support volunteer.

Mrs Russell said: "We are really keen to talk to community and faith groups, schools, businesses and other organisations. Anyone can become a volunteer. They come from a wide range of backgrounds and are all ages.

"More people should give it a try. Not only will they make a difference to another person's life, but they will gain skills and experiences that will enrich their lives too."

For more information about becoming a volunteer call 020 8382 8000.