THE Duchess of Cambridge has recorded a video message for the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices as part of a week urging people to support charity.

The Duchess, who is the royal patron of the charity known as EACH, has made the video to support Children’s Hospice Week after being inspired by the ‘remarkable’ work the charity carries out.

In the message the Duchess said: “As patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices I have been fortunate to see at first hand the remarkable work that they do for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. It is simply transformational.

“There are 49 children’s hospice services across the UK, all providing similar invaluable and life enhancing care to thousands of families.

“Children’s Hospice Week is a time to recognise, celebrate and support the inspirational work of those hospices, and those who provide palliative care to these children and families. Children’s hospices provide lifelines to families at a time of unimaginable pain. The support they give is vital.”

EACH will be celebrating the Duchess of Cambridge’s support for Children’s Hospice Week by organising several events with a superhero theme.

A ‘be a hero’ webpage will be running encouraging people to raise funds or volunteer for the charity.

The ten-pin bowling company, Namco Funscape, will donate proceeds from games at Charity Challenge evenings on May 2 in Braintree and May 3 in Ipswich.

Graham Butland, EACH chief executive, said: “We’re delighted the Duchess of Cambridge, in her role as EACH royal patron, is supporting Children’s Hospice Week. “The royal patronage has provided EACH with many great benefits including raising awareness and understanding of our services, boosting our media profile and inspiring the local community to pledge their support, so it’s wonderful to know other children’s hospices across the UK will be able to benefit from such great support too.”