Local fundraising group ‘wears it pink’ and wins national award

5/23/2011 11:04 AM EST

Press release

For immediate release: Monday 23 May 2011
Press contact: Marilena Patuto, 020 7749 3720  


A local fundraising group was presented with Breast Cancer Campaign’s ‘Regional Group of the Year’ award at a ceremony at the House of Lords last week (Thursday 19 May) after raising an incredible £8,700 to help the charity continue funding vital breast cancer research.

The Manchester and Salford Breast Cancer Campaign Group, which was formed in 2007 with three volunteers, took home the award after achieving phenomenal success last year raising thousands of pounds through holding lots of different events including coffee mornings, a stall at Monton Festival, a Tom Jones Tribute Evening, a ‘rock and roll’ night and being sponsored for running.

The Group also volunteered at national charity-organised events such as the Manchester Megaraid, helping co-ordinate the hundreds of students who arrived from across the UK to collect money for the charity on the city’s streets. Thanks to the enthusiasm of its members, the Group has also inspired local businesses and colleges to help beat breast cancer by taking part in the charity’s largest fundraising event in October each year, wear it pink.

Pat, chair and founder member of the Manchester and Salford Breast Cancer Campaign Group, said: “I am so proud that we have won Breast Cancer Campaign’s ‘Regional Group of the Year’ award. We are a small group with seven members and, as well as fundraising, we have lots of fun and have made new friends. Some of the Group have been personally touched by breast cancer so we are delighted to be able to support this charity which funds life-changing research and raises awareness about breast cancer.”

Pamela Goldberg, Breast Cancer Campaign’s Chief Executive said: “Congratulations to the Manchester and Salford Group for winning this prestigious award for their outstanding fundraising. It is thanks to the continued support and commitment from people such this group that we are able to fund innovative world-class research to help us improve the lives of breast cancer patients and beat the disease.”

If you want to be in the running for next year’s award, then contact the charity to find out how you can help beat breast cancer. Visit www.breastcancercampaign.org, call 020 7749 4114 or email  

ENDS

Photo: Pat Walkington and Barbara Wood from the Manchester and Salford Group were presented with the award by The Baroness Fookes of Plymouth (centre), DBE DL, Patron of Breast Cancer Campaign and sponsoring peer.

Notes to editors
• Breast Cancer Campaign aims to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world-class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure.
• Currently it supports 97 research projects, worth over £16.7 million, in 31 centres of excellence across the UK and Ireland
• Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women
• In the UK, nearly 48,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed each year – that’s 125 a day
• Visit www.breastcancercampaign.org
• Read Chief Executive Pamela Goldberg’s blog http://pamelagoldbergblog.blogspot.com/
• The Breast Cancer Campaign Tissue Bank, the UK’s first ever national breast cancer tissue bank, is a unique collaboration with four leading research institutions to create a vital resource of breast cancer tissue for researchers across the UK and Ireland. Visit www.breastcancertissuebank.org