A NORTH Cumbrian hospice charity is "overwhelmed" after a leading local accountancy firm has announced it has been chosen as its charity of the year.

David Allen, which operates across north Cumbria and Dumfries, has chosen Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland as the charity it will support for 2021.

The charity provides hospice and end of life care to residents across north Cumbria in their own homes.

Like all charities, Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland has faced challenges as a result of Covid-19 making it far more difficult to raise the funds it needs to continue providing its vital services.

As such, the news that David Allen has chosen to support the charity throughout 2021 was particularly welcome to Julie Blundell, income generation and marketing manager for Hospice at Home Carlisle and North Lakeland.

She said the charity was "overwhelmed with the wonderful news".

“Good end of life and palliative care and support in the home can make a substantial difference at a distressing time, this is more apparent than ever as the Charity are faced with the challenges of the Covid pandemic.

"Local patients their families and carers are amongst the most vulnerable within our local community. This support from David Allen through 2021 will help the charity in the difficult days that lie ahead as we adapt to the future whilst still managing the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic.

"We truly appreciate this commitment and look forward to working with the company and with all the team in their various offices.”

Alison Welton, managing partner at David Allen added that the firm was "delighted" to support the charity. She added that the support the charity provides, "for those who need it the most", is "phenomenal".

"Supporting our local communities provides great opportunities for our teams to work together and we are looking forward to helping the charity raise as much funds as possible after a difficult year.”