The money will help pay for vital equipment at the hospice, which opens its doors in the New Year, just 18 months after construction of the £20 million facility started.

The new hospice, which has been built by Willmott Dixon’s Midlands team, will offer around-the-clock care to people with terminal cancer and other illnesses and much-needed support for both patients and families in a comfortable environment.

Willmott Dixon raised the £21,000 by pledging to donate £5 every time an employee completed the company’s annual on-line staff satisfaction survey. The survey is part of the firm’s commitment to ensuring a regular dialogue with staff, which see thousands of employees fill out the online survey every year to provide feedback on all areas of working for Willmott Dixon, one of the UK’s largest privately owned construction, development and support services companies.

The huge response to the staff survey, calculated over two years, resulted in Willmott Dixon writing a cheque for £21,075, which Group chief executive Rick Willmott presented to the Marie Curie team at the hospice.

Mr Willmott said: “We’re a long-term supporter of Marie Curie, so it seemed natural to donate the questionnaire pledge proceeds to such a worthwhile cause, especially given our involvement on the new hospice. Marie Curie does a fantastic job caring for patients and their families during a very difficult time in their lives and we hope this money will help support the hospice and its team in providing such vital care for people in the West Midlands.”

The money donated by Willmott Dixon could buy two patient beds and mattresses, an infusion pump, two syringe drivers, two electric recliner chairs, three sofas, three visitor chairs, a large dining table and 20 blankets.

Liz Cottier, Marie Curie hospice manager, said: “As well as building us a wonderful new hospice, this cheque from Willmott Dixon is helping to fund some of the equipment. Our heartfelt thanks go out to the whole company.”

Willmott Dixon employs more than 700 people in the West Midlands and is involved in several major projects, such as the £61m project to build phase one of Birmingham City University’s City Centre Campus at Eastside. The company also cares and maintains 60,000 properties for Birmingham City Council out of two branches, one in Kingstanding and the other in King’s Heath.