As a teenager she helped plant a tree near Priscilla Bacon Lodge with the trailblazer who led the original fundraiser for the Norwich hospice in the 1970s.

And several decades later from her meeting with the late Priscilla Bacon. Lady Bacon of Raveningham Hall, Megan Wain-Smith, 76, is donating 25pc of all sales of her first published book - Elvena and the Wolf - to the £12.5m Priscilla Bacon Hospice fundraising campaign.

Eastern Daily Press: Priscilla Bacon. Lady Bacon of Raveningham Hall, who led the original Priscilla Bacon Lodge fundraising in the 1970s. She died in 2000 at the hospice on Unthank Road, Norwich.Priscilla Bacon. Lady Bacon of Raveningham Hall, who led the original Priscilla Bacon Lodge fundraising in the 1970s. She died in 2000 at the hospice on Unthank Road, Norwich. (Image: Archant)

The appeal, backed by this paper, was launched in February 2019 to fundraise for a new hospice to replace the Unthank Road base with a state-of-the-art hospice next to the Norfolk and Norwich University and has raised more than £7m.

Eastern Daily Press: An artist's impression of the new Priscilla Bacon Hospice to be built on the edge of Norwich.An artist's impression of the new Priscilla Bacon Hospice to be built on the edge of Norwich. (Image: Priscilla Bacon Hospice)

Launch of bid to raise £12.5m for Priscilla Bacon Hospice

Mrs Wain-Smith, from Lloyd Road in Taverham, who is a member of the Wymondham Writing Circle took two years to write her children's adventure book, for nine-12-year-olds, which was published late last year by Norwich-based Smokehouse Press.

Eastern Daily Press: Megan Wain-Smith as a teenage Girl Guide pictured on the end at the right holding a plaque at a tree planting at the Priscilla Bacon Lodge.Megan Wain-Smith as a teenage Girl Guide pictured on the end at the right holding a plaque at a tree planting at the Priscilla Bacon Lodge. (Image: (C) Archant 2020)

The grandmother, who grew up in Tacolneston, near Wymondham, wanted to donate the money to the appeal after visiting the lodge a few years ago with a singing group.

She said: "It had a lovely atmosphere, was warm and calm. Everyone seemed happy. There was something about that place that struck me."

The former telephonist and care worker recruitment firm founder added getting her first book published was a lifelong dream.

Eastern Daily Press: The cover of Megan Wain-Smith's first published book Elvena and the Wolf.The cover of Megan Wain-Smith's first published book Elvena and the Wolf. (Image: (C) Archant 2020)

Mrs Wain-Smith added: "I had my head in a book as a child all the time or was scribbling away. It was all about adventures. I longed to be the people in those books. Nothing happened in Talcolneston in those days."

Her favourite stories were Famous Five and Secret Seven by Enid Blyton and as a child she also read Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Little Women.

The book is based on caves around Dovedale in Derbyshire and centres around a 12-year-old girl called Elvena who saves a wolf cub. The pair go on adventures in different time periods.

Mrs Wain-Smith said to aspiring authors: "It is not easy but if you stick at things it will come. Don't give up. If I can do it anyone can."

Hugo Stevenson, head of fundraising and communications for Priscilla Bacon Hospice, said: “We are grateful to Megan. It is amazing to see the variety of ways in which the community supports our campaign."

The book costs £7 and can be bought from www.smokehousepress.co.uk

To donate to the appeal visit www.justgiving.com/campaign/3pounds