Local volunteers aim highto help Cancer Research

Betty Durrant, Eileen Burns and author Fergus McNeill

Now they want to raise even more in 2016 and have set themselves a target of £25,000.

But to get to that figure they need to find somebody to join the fundraising committee and others who would be willing to help out occasionally as ‘friends’ – especially those living in Stubbington, Hill Head, Titchfield, Park Gate, Locks Heath and Warsash.

Press officer Ann Coles said: ‘People have had to give up because of ill health. One vacancy has been filled, but we still need someone else.’

The £16,500 was raised by a combination of events organised by the committee, donations and in memoriam gifts.

Events began with a new venture, a literary lunch which was well-supported by a number of book clubs from Fareham and the Meon Valley.

Guest speaker was Fergus NcNeill, who writes spine-chilling thrillers, some of which are based in Hampshire.

Many local people supported the popular coffee mornings and beetle drives with afternoon tea, plus a quiz evening with fish and chip supper and a pub skittles evening.

One volunteer, Chris Tait, opened her award-winning garden to the public last summer to help raise funds.

She said: ‘We are grateful to all who helped us make it such a successful day.’

In the autumn committee members started gathering a series of favourite recipes from family and friends for a ‘local’ cookery book (priced £5).

Sales have been very good and a second imprint is now being organised.

In December the Light Up A Life memorial book was opened alongside the Christmas tree at Westbury Manor, Fareham and the year finished with a grand Christmas lunch for 80 guests.

During 2015 some of the committee had a special guided tour of the research unit at Southampton University, funded by Cancer Research UK.

Researchers at the laboratories talked about their projects and the prospects that the results may be used by oncologists.

If you are interested in becoming involved, call Maggie on 01329 312023 or Eileen on 01489 583810 for further information and details of forthcoming events.

To find out more about Cancer Research UK, visit cancerresearchuk.org or call 0300 123 1861.