Singer and actor Chesney Hawkes has joined Woking & Sam Beare Hospice as a patron.

Chesney recently visited the hospice with his wife, Krissy, to meet some of the staff and share his passion for supporting this vital charity.

“I’m incredibly proud to support Woking & Sam Beare Hospice as a patron,” Chesney said. “Having lived in the area for many years, the hospice is a charity close to my heart.

“They have supported members of my own family in the past, and I’ve seen first-hand the extraordinary care, compassion and dedication of their staff.

“The hospice provides such invaluable support to patients and their families during some of life’s most difficult moments, and I feel privileged to help raise awareness and support for the incredible work they do.”

Chesney is best known for his song The One and Only. He appeared in Celebrity Big Brother last year, and his new album, Living Arrows, was Radio 2's Album of the Week.

He has three adult children with his wife, Krissy, who he married in 1997.

“We are delighted that Chesney has joined the hospice as a patron,” said Sam Wakefield, senior marketing manager. “Hospice care plays such a vital part in our community, and we are incredibly grateful to Chesney for helping us to raise such valuable awareness.”

Woking & Sam Beare Hospice cares for approximately 1,500 people each year, and some 70 per cent of that care is delivered in patient homes or care or nursing homes.

The hospice cares for adults of all ages, from 18 to 85-plus, and its services are completely free of charge.

While the hospice gets some government funding it is an independent charity and has to self-generate approximately two-thirds of its income from fundraising and the sale of goods in its shops.

It costs more than £10m a year to run the hospice.