WESTON Hospicecare will be partaking in a minute's silence to mark the 25th anniversary of Jill Dando's tragic and untimely passing.

Jill was born in Somerset and attended a local comprehensive school before gaining a degree in journalism at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

After graduating, Jill began working at her local paper, the Weston Mercury, alongside her brother Nigel and father Jack.

She later became one of the UK's most popular journalists who regularly presented BBC shows starting in the late 1980s. 

Throughout her time on TV, Dando presented a number of news shows from BBC's Breakfast Time, BBC One O'Clock News and the Six O'Clock News.

Jill later went on to present Crimewatch alongside Nick Ross and in 1997 won the BBC's Personality of the Year.

In 1999, Jill was living between her home in Chiswick with her finance Alan Farthing and her home in Fulham which she was selling.

After arriving at the home at 11.30am on April 26, Jill was tragically shot and killed.

Jill played a huge role in supporting Weston Hospicecare. In 1996, she agreed to become the Patron of the charity and lead an appeal to fund a much-needed In-Patient Unit.

Les Fake, who was the chair of the charity at the time, said: “Jill’s visits brought a ray of sunshine to Weston Hospicecare.

"She brought happiness and her inimitable ‘girl next door’ friendliness to the staff, volunteers and most importantly the patients who would talk about her for weeks after."

In 2019, the hospice established the Jill Dando Fund in her memory, designed to help patients' dreams come true.

In 2021, the fund paid for a patient and his loved ones to have a final family holiday, to name just one example of how it was used.

This Friday (April 26) staff from all of the hospice's sites will be falling silent to remember Jill.

To donate in Jill's memory, click HERE.

In 2017, the Jill Dando News project was launched, based out of Jill's previous school, Worle Academy.

It trains young people to become real-life journalists, teaching them to find, write and share positive news stories, in an era where negativity is prevalent and mental health statistics are skyrocketing.

Olivia Finch, 19, was the first-ever Jill Dando News reporter, now studying to become a doctor.

She said: "Jill inspired us from day one with her life.

"Jill Dando News is a fitting, expanding legacy for a woman who was truly 'the smiling face of Britain'."