THE Teesdale Branch of Cancer Research managed to cook up its biggest afternoon tea on Sunday, despite powercuts across the dale.
More than 100 people enjoyed the sumptuous afternoon tea at Glaxo Sports and Social Club when the volunteer group handed over a bumper £50,000 cheque to Cancer Research area fundraising manager Jan Leafe. Susan Warnes, treasurer of the Teesdale branch, said: “We haven’t raised the money we usually raise – we all know the last year has been difficult for everyone and fundraising events for all charities have taken a blow. However, due to the generosity and support of all our Teesdale residents we have been able to hold a few events.”
A Christmas jumper day and 10,000 steps-a-day challenge raised £6,400. There were pop-up shops, sales of crochet, coffee mornings, collections and sponsored runs plus a number of donations and legacies. Ms Leafe said she was “blown away” by the group’s tireless efforts to raise cash.
She said: “Throughout two very difficult years this amazing group and their community have raised over £75,000 collectively for our life-saving research. It is not just the group – it is the community. They are always so generous.”
She added despite no power to their homes, Kathleen Iceton and Mandy Layton still managed to cook up quiches and cakes for the afternoon teas, persuading their local pub to lend its ovens.
Ms Leafe said: “We know that one in two people born in the UK after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime. But with support from communities like yourselves we know that half of those diagnosed will now survive.”
The money goes directly to fund the work of scientists at the Cancer Research UKs Newcastle Centre and to the children and young people’s research programme.
She added the team at Newcastle was working on kinder treatments for children with brain tumours to reduce harmful side-effects.
