WARRINGTON Masons handed over a welcome donation to St Rocco's Hospice last week, to the tune of £2,400, which will help to buy new equipment.

This is the fifth year that the hospice has received a grant from the Masonic Grand Charity to help enable St Rocco's to secure vital nursing equipment to benefit patients at the hospice. The full amount totals more than £20,000.

In 1999, Warrington Freemasons were the first to donate £10,000 for a suite in the new hospice. Ray Baines, chairman of the Warrington Group of Lodges at the Masonic Hall, in Winmarleigh Street, handed over the cheque to Mike Bloomfield, of St Rocco's fundraising team.

Mr Baines said: "St Rocco's Hospice is a wonderful community charity. I am delighted to have been able to hand over another £2,000 donation raised by Freemasons to help St Rocco's continue to provide such a valuable service for the people of Warrington."