FORMER MP Sir Tony Baldry is to become a patron of Katharine House Hospice.

Sir Tony will be joining the Adderbury charity, which provides specialist palliative care services for people with life threatening illnesses, leading up to its 25th anniversary next year.

Sir Tony, who was Conservative MP for North Oxfordshire for 32 years, said: “I am really pleased that one of the new tasks I am going to be able to take on stepping down from the House of Commons is to become a patron of Katharine House.

“I know from all my years as the local MP, from friends who have had treatment there and from the care given to friends who have died there, what a fantastic resource Katharine House is for the local community.

“Katharine House is voluntarily supported and voluntarily funded, and so I look forward to doing my bit to help make sure that it has the funds that it needs to continue to carry out outstanding work.”

Sir Tony stepped down from his position as Banbury MP as Parliament dissolved ahead of the General Election on May 7.

Hospice charity chairman Neil Gadsby said: “Tony has, for years supported Katharine House in a variety of ways. I am delighted to invite Sir Tony to have a closer relationship with us at the Hospice.”