Shropshire couple's 'prom in the garden' raises funds for county cancer charity
A Shropshire couple are celebrating after raising more than £12,000 to benefit local cancer patients.
A dedicated fundraiser last month was the ninth in as many years held by Tom and Julie Kaye to raise money for Lingen Davies Cancer Support.
They have organised the events as a 'thank you' for care given to Tom after he was diagnosed with cancer 11 years ago.
In total they have now raised more than £12,300 for the charity.
The husband-and-wife team threw their annual Proms in the Garden fundraiser in June at their home in Fitz.
This year's event was hosted by the Shrewsbury Light Orchestra, a group of musicians who also volunteer their time and skill to the cause.
Tom Kaye was diagnosed with prostate cancer 11 years ago and received treatment at the Lingen Davies Cancer Centre at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
He was given the ‘all clear’ in 2016 after 36 rounds of radiotherapy treatment.
The couple have chosen to dedicate their funds to Lingen Davies’ new Sunflower Appeal – a £5 million fundraising appeal to double the capacity of chemotherapy provision in the region and bring a dedicated cancer treatment centre to Telford.
As two of the first 100 people to donate £500, Tom and Julie will both be recognised as founders of the new Lingen Davies Cancer Centre in Telford and will receive an exclusive ‘Founder’ badge to commemorate the donation.
Angela Hill, community fundraiser for Lingen Davies Cancer Support, said: “It was an utterly fabulous event, and I was delighted to attend on behalf of Lingen Davies. It was wonderful seeing so many people from the community come together to enjoy music from the proms, waving the Union Jack while raising funds for not one, but two wonderful charities.”
The annual event raises money for Lingen Davies Cancer Support and one other charity.
This year the sold-out event raised £3,000 with half the funds going to Alzheimer’s Research UK – a dementia research charity.
Lingen Davies Cancer Support is the leading cancer charity in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, and Mid Wales. It works towards ensuring everyone in the region has access to excellent cancer care.
The new Lingen Davies Cancer Centre in Telford will help address capacity issues across the region – enabling people from Telford to access care and services closer to home, reducing stress and worry of travel.
Patients from throughout Shropshire and Mid Wales will benefit from capacity created in the new centre, meaning patients can be seen and start their treatment more quickly.
Anyone wanting to host their own event to raise vital funds for Lingen Davies Cancer Support can e-mail fundraising@lingendavies.co.uk or visit lingendavies.co.uk/fundraising for more details.
