OSCAR-WINNING actor Jim Broadbent has pledged his support to St Andrew's Hospice.
The 65-year-old film star met patients, volunteers and staff, toured facilities and visited the building site where new facilities are currently being built.
He then lunched in the dining room alongside patients, in what was his first visit to a hospice.
He said: "St Andrew's is a fantastic place and I am very impressed.
"It's lovely to meet everyone. The work being done here is so important and it's heartening to see the significant investment being made in redeveloping facilities.
"I am looking forward to coming back to see how things will have changed."
Jim, who lives near Market Rasen, won an Oscar for his portrayal of John Bayley, the husband of novelist Iris Murdoch, in the hit film Iris.
He told hospice staff how his own mother had died after suffering from dementia shortly before filming Iris, based on the novelist's experience of Alzheimer's disease.
"The role involved very little research as I'd experienced it myself," he said.
"The Borrowers was another fantastic movie to shoot. All of the props were huge ... there were giant apple cores and cotton bobbins. And Harry Potter was a joy. I thought 'this film won't come around again any time soon' and it was magical to be a part of.
"I spent hours with the tailor for my costume as the character Horace Slughorn. Several were made and all individually designed. It was great.
"I like to be in Lincolnshire as often as I can, especially in the summer. My wife and I enjoy spending time in the country; sometimes I will come back from a shoot and she will talk about going on holiday, but I like staying at home. I like interesting scripts and characters, and I don't like repeating myself, so different roles are good.
"I'm more picky about what projects I do now – after all, I am a pensioner!"
The grandson of a friend of Jim's was cared for at St Andrew's Hospice as a day patient, and Jim said he was "very impressed" with the facilities.
"It's hard to believe that it only receives minimal funding from the Government when such good work is done here," he said.
"So it's excellent to see that the hard work of supporters, volunteers and staff is paying off.
"The redevelopment campaign is very exciting and is certainly coming on at a pace. The hospice is right at the heart of the community and I hope everyone supports it."
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