A new hydrotherapy bath is to be installed in pioneering East Oxford hospice Helen and Douglas House, thanks to a £10,000 gift.

The money has been donated by BMW Group Plant Oxford and organisers at the hospice, based in Magdalen Road, decided to spend it on buying the new bath to replace an existing piece of equipment which was several years old.

Helen and Douglas House chief executive Tom Hill said: “The comfort and well-being of the children and young adults who visit Helen and Douglas House is of primary concern to us.

“We are extremely grateful to BMW Group Plant Oxford for this generous gift that will allow us to purchase this new piece of equipment.”

BMW spokesman Rebecca Baxter said: “We are delighted to work with Children’s Hospices UK and to be able to donate this money to Helen and Douglas House.

“We always look to support charities that operate in the areas in which our sites are based and this children’s and young adult’s hospice, right on our doorstep, is such a fantastic cause.

She added: “We really hope that this donation can in some small way enhance the facilities there.”

Helen and Douglas House was the world’s first children’s respite hospice when it opened its doors in 1981.

It provides respite and end-of-life care for children and young adults as well as support for their families.

The aim of the hydrotherapy bath is to make bathtime therapeutic and fun, as the equipment is more comfortable for children with complex health needs and easier for the care teams to use.

Helen and Douglas House was one of three hospices to receive donations from BMW.

The company wanted to support charities based close to their three main sites, and Children’s Hospices UK was chosen because it was felt the money would make a substantial difference.

The two other hospices to receive donations from BMW were Naomi House, near Winchester, and Acorns, near Birmingham.

Naomi House will also buy a hydrotherapy bath and Acorns is to refurbish 10 of its bedrooms.

Fiona Goulding, from Witney, has twin five-year-old sons, Ben and Ollie, who use Helen and Douglas House.

She said: “We don’t know what we would do without Helen and Douglas House.

“The boys love visiting and the new hydrotherapy bath will give them lovely fun and relaxation.”

Meanwhile, Cowley woman has won a Mazda car worth £9,000 after entering a raffle in aid of Sobell House hospice, at the Churchill Hospital in Headington.

Pat Sampson won the prize after buying a book of five £1 tickets in Templars Square, Cowley in September, and picked up her vehicle earlier this week.

The car raffle raised £12,184 for the cause.