Actor Hugh Bonneville admires floral display at Titchfield cancer centre to raise awareness

ACTOR Hugh Bonneville helped launch the run-up to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Actor Hugh Bonneville with Emma Schwarz, founder of The Rare Brand Market, left, and Marian Parfitt, Breast Cancer Haven centre manager Picture: Sarah Standing (180726-5284)Actor Hugh Bonneville with Emma Schwarz, founder of The Rare Brand Market, left, and Marian Parfitt, Breast Cancer Haven centre manager Picture: Sarah Standing (180726-5284)
Actor Hugh Bonneville with Emma Schwarz, founder of The Rare Brand Market, left, and Marian Parfitt, Breast Cancer Haven centre manager Picture: Sarah Standing (180726-5284)

The Downton Abbey star was at the Breast Cancer Haven, in Titchfield, to have a tour of the facility and see its floral pillars created especially for the awareness month.

A range of pink and purple blooms and foliage have been placed outside the centre, which supports women going through or recovering from cancer treatment, as part of their month-long campaign which starts in October.

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The colourful display is to draw the attention of visitors and passers-by and was created by Hampshire florist Susie Babington.

Actor Hugh Bonneville with Emma Schwarz, founder of The Rare Brand Market, left, and Marian Parfitt, Breast Cancer Haven centre manager Picture: Sarah Standing (180726-5284)Actor Hugh Bonneville with Emma Schwarz, founder of The Rare Brand Market, left, and Marian Parfitt, Breast Cancer Haven centre manager Picture: Sarah Standing (180726-5284)
Actor Hugh Bonneville with Emma Schwarz, founder of The Rare Brand Market, left, and Marian Parfitt, Breast Cancer Haven centre manager Picture: Sarah Standing (180726-5284)

After seeing the floral wall at The Square, Mr Bonneville said: '˜No-one really wants to be a member of a club associated with breast cancer but if you are, what a great centre to have to offer support.

'˜The focus on therapies the Breast Cancer Haven can bring to those going through their diagnosis is both supportive and necessary.'

He added: '˜To do something like this flower wall is a wonderful way of raising awareness for the centre and celebrating what it does.

'˜It is a fantastic display for a very important issue.'

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The idea for the flowers came from the Rare Brand Market which celebrates independent produce not found on the high street.

They have been raising money for the Breast Cancer Haven all year and organised the flowers with Susie.

Founder Emma Schwarz said: '˜My mother is currently being supported by Breast Cancer Haven while undergoing treatment.

'˜This association is very close to my heart and I want to help highlight the inspiring and positive work carried out by the charity.'

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For October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the centre wants to remind people that men can get breast cancer too.

Sally Hillyear, fundraising manager at the haven, said the month is key.

'˜This is our biggest campaign of the year,' she said.

'˜It is about raising awareness of male breast cancer, female breast cancer we all know about but male breast cancer in particular and October is when we hope people will come join us.

'˜We are running something called Power Hour - in October the clocks go back and we want people to use that hour and help us fundraise and raise awareness.'