SERIOUSLY ill children can look forward to splashing about in a hydrotherapy pool thanks to a £200,000 grant from a Herefordshire charitable foundation.

The Jordan Foundation, created by the Clays family, has brought the Acorns Children's Hospice Appeal to £930, 256 with its generous pledge.

Appeal co-ordinaters are enormously grateful to the foundation for the money that has helped put the appeal on target.

It makes a significant contribution to the £4million needed to build and equip a new hospice planned for Worcester for an estimated 176 life limited children in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, due to open in 2004. The figure includes up to 43 children in the county.

Acorns' community fundraising co-ordinator, Fran Winterbourn, said: "We are extremely pleased and delighted. The grant has made such a tremendous difference to us."

The money, given to build a hydrotherapy pool at the new hospice, was joined by a second generous grant of £100,000. This was made by the Wolfson Foundation, set up by Isaac Wolfson, founder of Great Universal Stores, and his son Leonard, who is the current Lord Wolfson.

Other Herefordshire supporters raised more than £9,000 for the hospice during July by organising everything from parachute jumps to pub quizzes, sponsored walks and summer balls.

Acorn's director of fundraising, Simon Burne, said: "The appeal is going extremely well, with lots of people wanting to play their part. It's a stark fact that a child who could benefit from Acorns care will die every three days in the three counties.

"At the moment many families are struggling to cope with this terrible loss without the extensive support a children's hospice offers."

Anyone who would like to fundraise or make a donation to Acorns can contact Fran Winterbourn on 01905 767676.