Coping with Cancer news feed

2011 Leicestershire Santa Fun Runs: Update!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012

Coping with Cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland was delighted to have been chosen as one of the selected charities for the 2011 Great Lutterworth Santa Fun Run, which took place on Sunday 27th November. Nearly 1,000 Santas took part on the day and despite the wind and chilly conditions there was a great turn-out from Coping with Cancer supporters including our Volunteer Coordinator Sarah Thorp, running with her niece Roisin and Charlie the dog, CWC volunteer therapist Lynn and her family, plus Mark Neville, Darren Wright and family.

For more information, visit the Lutterworth Mail's website.

Our thanks go to everyone who took part and the Rotary Club of Lutterworth and Rotary Club of Lutterworth Wycliffe for choosing to support Coping with Cancer. Update April 2012: as well as receiving donations direct from runners who chose to collect sponsorships online via their Virgin Money Giving web pages, we have also received a cheque ro £1,910.00 from the Lutterworth Joint Rotary Santa Fun Run organisers, which was presented to CWC volunteer and Santa Fun Runner, Lynn Jackson.

Across the other side of the county, the Great Loughborough Santa Fun Run took place on Sunday 4th December. Coping with Cancer’s team of Santas included four of the charity’s trustees, Kalv, Lynn, Anne and Crystal, assisted by various friends and family. Unlike last year, runners didn’t have to deal with ice and snow, but there are unconfirmed rumours that there was a pit-stop at a local café! Update April 2012: we have recently been presented with a cheque for £1,100 from the Loughborough Rotary Club, which alongside sponsorship from our runners, included a 'top-up' donation of £351.00 from the Rotary Club. Thank you to John Rumble, CWC trustee for attending the presentation evening and accepting the cheque on our behalf.

Photos:
Above left - Charlie in his Christmas outfit with his runner's medal
Above right - Coping with Cancer supporter Mark Nevill
Left - Darren Wright and family

Barrow Rotary Beer Festival and Duck Race

Wed, 11 Apr 2012

Coping with Cancer is delighted to have been chosen as one of the charities to be supported by iRotary (The Formation Rotary Club of Barrow Upon Soar)'s upcoming Beer Festival and Family Fun Days.

Barrow Beer Festival and Family Fun Days
Organised by iRotary (The Formation Rotary Club of Barrow Upon Soar)
In aid of Rainbows Hospice, Coping with Cancer and other Rotary Charities

The event takes place from Friday 27th April until Sunday 29th April at The Boathouse in Barrow Upon Soar.

Breweries confirmed for the beer festival include The Belvoir Brewery and The Grainstore Brewery

The event also includes the return of the Barrow Duck Race on Saturday afternoon
* First heat at 1pm
* Grand final at 5pm
* Buy duck tickets from The Paper Shop, 9 High Street, Barrow (or on the day)

For more information visit www.facebook.com/iRotary

Rearsby WI's Wardrobe Wake Up!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012

Rearsby Women's Institute are hosting 'Wardrobe Wake Up' in aid of Coping with Cancer.
The event will take place at Rearsby Village Hall on Saturday 21st April between 10.30am and 2.00pm.

Featuring:

Quality Clothing - new & good-as-new
Accessories, handbags & jewellery
Beauty Products
Cards & Candles
Cakes and Produce
Tombola & Raffle
Lunches – home cooked refreshments

Entrance 50p

Let Them Eat Cake!

Mon, 02 Apr 2012

On Saturday 23rd March, bakers and a crowd of visitors with a sweet-tooth piled in to The Lansdowne in Leicester for the pub’s first ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ Bake Off in aid of Coping with Cancer.

Over 90 people entered their baked goodies into the competition, and after the judging, the cakes were sold to raise money for Coping with Cancer. So many cakes were donated, the Lansdowne’s sister pub The Orange Tree and nearby pub The Marquis helped out by selling some too!

The Lansdowne’s Alex Lumley said “It was a massive success and we’d like to thank all the bakers who took part and all those who bought cakes afterwards to help us raise money for Coping with Cancer. The judges had a really tough job choosing the winners. The standard of baking was exceptional.”

Open to amateur and professional bakers, the contest was judged by Holly Bell, finalist in last year’s BBC Great British Bake Off TV programme, Matthew Wright, editor of Great Food Magazine, Char Lavender of Bitsy's Cupcakery, and Tom Brucciani, managing director of craft bakery and café company Brucciani (Midlands) Ltd.

Coping with Cancer would like to thank the team at The Lansdowne, the judges and all of the bakers who entered the competition – and of course everyone who bought cake on the day – who all helped us to raise over £450!

Winners of the competition were:

Winners for Signature Bake: Chet Vallabh, with Special Mention to Matthew Freeman and Cat Hanlon
Under 16: Alice Featherstone
Professional: Elaine Priestly

Winners for Brownies: Shenila Chawda, with Special Mention to Lucy Ward,
Under 16: Ewan Keith Driver

Winners for Cupcakes: Marie Coleman, with Special Mention to Katie Turner and Sally Stephens
Under 16: Phoebe and Katie Drury
Professional: Priti Meredith

Winners for Specialty Bread: Joseph Sarris, with Special Mention to Bob Neely
Professional: Bruccianis

More pictures from the event are on The Lansdowne's Facebook page.

Cat Walk Capers Fashion Event - Summer Raffle tickets on sale now!

Mon, 02 Apr 2012

As part of our Cat Walk Capers Fashion Event, we will be holding a raffle with some fantastic prizes up for grabs!
Tickets £1 each or £5 per book

FIRST PRIZE: Food Tasting Session at The Almanack Leicester for 4 worth £250
Second Prize: Lunchtime meal and golf lesson for 4 with club pro at Leicestershire Golf Club
Third Prize: A night in the grandstand at Leicester Race Course
Fourth Prize: Two tickets to Leicester International Music Festival
Plus many more prizes including Leicestershire County Cricket Club match tickets, a tour of Leicester City Football Club, Great Central Railway Family Ticket, other attraction and event tickets, vouchers for John Lewis, Clafoutis Childrenswear, Shapes Hair and Beauty, and gifts including wine, chocolates and designer goods!

Tickets available from reception at Helen Webb House, at all of Coping with Cancer's upcoming events, from Samantha on 07874 264 297 or online below

Raffle to be drawn at Coping with Cancer’s Cat Walk Capers Fashion Event on Saturday 9th June at 7.00pm (see our website for more details)

You can buy tickets here for our Summer Raffle using a credit or debit card by clicking here.

Time Out comes to Loughborough and Coalville

Thu, 08 Mar 2012

Our Time Out drop-in complementary therapy groups around the county are extremely popular, and we’re pleased to announce we’re extending the service to two new locations this Spring.

Time Out offers cancer patients, their families and carers the opportunity to have a complementary therapy treatment in a calm, relaxing atmosphere as well as chat to other patients and carers over a cup of tea.

Time Out: Loughborough will begin on Friday 27th April, and take place from 1.30pm - 4.00pm on the second and fourth Friday of every month. The group will be held at Gorse Covert Community Centre on Maxwell Drive in Loughborough (in the District Centre near Morrisons supermarket) and there is plenty of free parking. Time Out: Loughborough is supported by The Helen Jean Cope Charity and AstraZenica Foundation.

Time Out: Coalville will take place on the first and third Thursday every month, again from 1.30pm - 4.00pm. The first session will be on Thursday 3rd May, and the group will be held at The Marlene Reid Centre on Belvoir Road. Time Out: Coalville is supported by the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation’s Leicestershire Fund.

As with all of our Time Out groups, there is no need to book an appointment, just turn up. You’ll be made very welcome and free refreshments are available all afternoon. For more information call 0116 223 0055 or email timeout@c-w-c.org.uk

Firewalking - Do you dare?

Fri, 02 Mar 2012

Ever fancied giving fire walking a go? We are looking for 20 – 30 people to take part in a fire walking event, run established UK fire walking specialists – Survivorbility, who provide all the necessary training, supervision and equipment. The challenge will be open to all ages (must be 14 or over) and there will be a minimum sponsorship requirement of approximately £200 - 250 per person. Date and venue tbc, but will be in Leicestershire.

If you’re interested, please contact Jane Hagreen at Helen Webb House on 0116 223 0055 or email jane.hagreen@c-w-c.org.uk

Bushby Lions Charter Lunch

Tue, 28 Feb 2012

Coping with Cancer would like to thank the Bushby Lions for their very generous support at their recent Charter lunch on Sunday 19th February 2012.

During 2011, Bushby Lions raised nearly £1000.00, choosing to donate the money to Coping with Cancer, Eye Camps and other charities, in the UK and abroad. Coping with Cancer was chosen specifically for the work that we carry out with minority communities, with the charity Eye Camps focussing on eradicating blindness in the Indian sub-continent.

Our sincere thanks go to all the members of the Bushby Lions for their wonderful donation.

Pictured below is Lion President Suresh Kotecha presenting a cheque for £501.00 to Olwen Hughes MBE, Coping with Cancer Trustee.

Photo courtesy: Rajni Hindocha

Beauchamp College’s Centaur House supports Coping with Cancer

Fri, 24 Feb 2012

On Friday 10th February 2012, Charity Manager Ashley Gamble was invited to the morning assembly of Centaur House at Beauchamp College in Oadby to be presented with a cheque for a fantastic £1043.53.

Each House at the college supports a charity, and Coping with Cancer were delighted to have been chosen by Centaur House. Over the last year, staff and students have organised a variety of fundraising activities, including bake sales and fancy dress, while Head of House Joe Jordan and many of his colleagues were sponsored to grow moustaches during November.

Coping with Cancer would like to thank everyone involved supporting us, and look forward to continuing to work with staff and students over the coming year.

Pictured: Charity Manager Ashley Gamble (left) is presented with a cheque for £1043.53 by students (left to right) Alex Ford, Hadil Mkadmi and Emma Poynton-Smith.

If your school or college would like to support Coping with Cancer, our team can offer advice and support with fundraising and getting involved. For more information, call us on 0116 223 0055 or email fundraising@c-w-c.org.uk

New time and venue for Time Out: Market Harborough

Thu, 16 Feb 2012

From 23rd February, Time Out: Market Harborough will be running at a new time and in a new location. Time Out: Market Harborough is a drop-in complementary therapy group for anyone affected by cancer - patients, their carers and families. You can enjoy a complementary therapy treatment in a calm, relaxing atmosphere, and chat to other patients and carers over a cup of tea. No need to book, just turn up!

We have decided to make the change so that we can offer a fully wheelchair-accessible venue, as well as free car parking. Time Out: Market Harborough will now take place on the second and fourth Thursday every month, from 1.30pm - 4.00pm, at Lubenham Village Hall, Laughton Road, Lubenham (near Market Harborough).

For more information about the group, please click here, or call Lucy on 0116 223 0055.

Free car parking is available behind the village hall.

Time Out is free for anyone affected by cancer, however if you feel that you have benefitted from attending and you are able to make a donation, we are always grateful for your support which ensures we can keep providing this service in you're local area.

Volunteers needed to help us support more local people

Mon, 13 Feb 2012

Coping with Cancer will be launching a number of new services to support local people affected by cancer in Spring 2012, and we have volunteering opportunities in a number of areas, including some new roles.

Macmillan One Stop Support at Coping with Cancer

One Stop Support is an innovative new service at Coping with Cancer, in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, bringing together the benefits of complementary therapy, counselling, social activities and support groups, along with informative and relevant information sessions on topics like welfare benefits, diet and nutrition, health and wellbeing and much more.

The service will run on Monday mornings at Helen Webb House, and we are looking for a number of volunteers to help support clients attending the service, for example by helping with activities, chatting to clients and preparing refreshments. For this new service, we are also looking for volunteers with specialist knowledge and experience in welfare benefits advice, working with and beyond cancer (e.g. occupational health workers), food and healthy eating (e.g. dieticians) and health, wellbeing and exercise (e.g. physiotherapists). For more information about our volunteer roles at One Stop Support, click here. These new specialist roles require a time commitment of just a few hours, once or twice in a six week period, so if you are able to spare the time and would like to get involved, please get in touch.

Time Out drop in complementary therapy support groups in Loughborough and Coalville

In May, we will be expanding our popular Time Out service to Loughborough and Coalville. These two new groups will offer a free drop-in complementary therapy service and support group to local people affected by cancer. We are looking for volunteer complementary therapists qualified in aromatherapy massage, Indian head massage, reflexology and/or reiki to offer treatments at these sessions, as well as group supporters to chat with clients and help with refreshments. For more information about these opportunities, click here.

The Men's Shed

Our new allotment-based gardening project is for men affected by cancer. We are looking for male volunteers with an interest in gardening to support the running of this project, and to provide emotional support as needed to local men affected by cancer. For more information about these opportunities, click here.

Coping with Cancer relies on some 140 volunteers to continue providing our valuable services to local people affected by cancer. We're always happy to hear from people who would like to get involved, and have a wide variety of volunteering roles. For more information, visit our volunteering web pages, call Sarah on 0116 223 0055 or email sarah.thorp@c-w-c.org.uk

Wyggeston's Hospital raises £5,774!

Wed, 01 Feb 2012

Amazing Support for Coping with Cancer in 2011

Back in January 2011, we were delighted to be informed that the residents of Wyggeston’s Hospital, just off Hinckley Road, Leicester, had chosen us as their Charity of the Year 2011. Residents alternate their choice of charity between local and national organisations.

Numerous fundraising events later, which included Bingo Nights, coffee mornings, an Autumn Fayre plus cheese and wine evenings, and we were invited to their annual charity presentation evening on Wednesday 18th January, hosted by the Trustees, Wardens and attended by Robert Wann, Lord Mayor of Leicester.

This year the staff and residents surpassed themselves as Jane Hagreen, Coping with Cancer’s Fundraiser, was presented with a magnificent cheque for £5,774.45, the highest amount ever donated by Wyggeston’s Hospital.

In her speech of thanks to everyone present, Jane also remarked how lovely it had been to see so many of the residents at our own events at Helen Webb House over the past year, something which we hope will continue into the future.

Jane Hagreen (centre) with Kathryn Bearne (right), Warden and Caroline (left), resident at Wyggeston's Hospital

Sainsbury's Belgrave Road 25th Birthday Celebrations

Wed, 25 Jan 2012

Sainsbury’s Belgrave Road, who are supporting Coping with Cancer as their chosen charity of the year for 2011/12, celebrated their 25th birthday on Friday 20th January.

Employees past and present, managers, both local and regional, assembled at the store to celebrate 25 years of trading, with a speech from City Mayor, Peter Soulsby, cake and champagne as members of the Coping with Cancer Choir sang "Happy Birthday".

Coping with Cancer were invited to hold a bag-packing day from 10.00am through to 3.00pm and a team of willing volunteers were assembled, who packed, chatted and promoted the charity throughout the day. Our thanks go to Coping with Cancer volunteers Beulah, Teresa, Denise, Hope, Adele and Jo, who were supported by a team from Freeth Cartwright Solicitors, Leicester (who are also supporting Coping with Cancer as one of their chosen charities this year)– namely Sally, Teresa, Jade, Emma, Harjit, Hasmita, Rita and Jennie, all kindly released from their day-jobs by their generous managers! Over the five hours £343.16 was raised - well done and thanks again for all your help.

Alongside the emptying of the till-side collection tins, Jane Hagreen was also presented with a cheque for £809.82 by Store Manager, Guy Swindells, who made a passionate speech to assembled colleagues about the work we do. This money was raised through a collection at their car park on the Diwali lights switch-on evening last October, and through other customer donations.

All in all, over £3,600 has been raised from this store so far during our year as their nominated charity.

(Pictured: Coping with Cancer volunteer Denise and Sally from Freeth Cartwright Solicitor's Leicester office)

Charnwood Lions Mehfil Evening

Mon, 16 Jan 2012

Coping with Cancer would like to thank the Leicester Charnwood Lions Club, including two of its members and Coping with Cancer supporters Alpa and Ketan Tanna, for staging a charity fundraising Mehfil Evening at the Spice Tree restaurant, Catherine Street, Leicester on 12th November 2011.

Mehfil is Urdu for an evening of entertainment, and that night 75 guests enjoyed a delicious two course meal, generously donated by the management of the recently refurbished Spice Tree, and live band. Everyone very generously joined in with the raffle, with additional donations topping up the money raised.

Pictured below is President Lion Gurmit Harrad and members of the Leicester Charnwood Lions Club presenting a cheque for £2,175.00 to Ashley Gamble, Charity Manager and Olwen Hughes, Trustee.

Christmas Supper with the Psychics

Mon, 09 Jan 2012

Another hugely successful festive Psychic Supper was held at Helen Webb House on Thursday 15th December. Hosted by Coping with Cancer’s Debbie Foster and Jane Hall, 11 mediums organised by our long-standing supporters Ros and Dave Hackett, were on hand to give a variety of readings to around 80 guests.

With guests seated at tables of six or seven, each table spent time with up to three psychics, with each person receiving at least one personal reading, from tarot cards to clairvoyance.

All in all, it was a fantastic night and we are pleased to report that £960 was raised for the charity. Thank you to everyone who attended, to everyone who helped to organise the event and, of course, to the mediums.

Our next fun psychic event is our popular drop-in Afternoon Tea with the Psychics, from 1.00pm – 4.00pm on Saturday 31st March, at Helen Webb House. For more information, please contact Debbie Foster on debbie.foster@c-w-c.org.uk or call 0116 223 0055.

Volunteers Needed for Sainsbury's Birthday Bag Pack on 20th January

Tue, 20 Dec 2011

As part of their 25th birthday celebrations, Sainsburys Belgrave Road have offered Coping with Cancer (the store's Charity of the Year) a bag-packing day on Friday 20th January 2012. Volunteers offer to pack customers’ bags in return for a small donation to Coping with Cancer. The Mayor of Leicester will be there at around 11am, plus Gem 106 FM to entertain customers.

To make this opportunity as good a fundraiser as possible for us we need lots of volunteers to help! Could you spare a couple of hours to be part of the bag packing team? You don’t need any special skills, you just need to be a friendly person who knows not to pack the spuds on top of the eggs and to keep the chilled items separate!

The bag packing will be running between 10.00am and 3.00pm on the day and just a couple of hours of your time will help to make a difference to the people we support now and in the future.

To volunteer for the day, please contact Jane Hagreen on 0116 223 0055 or email jane.hagreen@c-w-c.org.uk

Breast of Friends, Time Out Melton and Ashby Support Cafe Changes 2012

Mon, 19 Dec 2011

There will be some changes to Time Out: Melton, the Breast of Friends breast cancer support group and the Support Cafe, Ashby from January 2012.

Time Out: Melton drop-in complementary therapy support group will still take place on the first and third Tuesday every month, but at the new time of 1.30pm - 4.00pm. The group will still take place at the Samworth Centre, 8 Burton Street, Melton Mowbray. For more information, please contact Lucy on 0116 223 0055 or email lucy.pugh@c-w-c.org.uk

Breast of Friends, our breast cancer support group, will now meet on the third Wednesday of every month, from 7.30pm - 9.00pm. For more information, please contact Sarah on 0116 223 0055 or email sarah.thorp@c-w-c.org.uk

Coping with Cancer will no longer be involved in the running of The Support Cafe in Ashby de la Zouch. The group will be maintained by our colleagues at Hospice Hope, and will now take place weekly, still on Friday afternoons at Legion House in Ashby. For more information, contact Hospice Hope on 01530 810018 or email info@hospicehope.org.uk

For information about our closure over Christmas, please click here.

Skegness to Leicester Charity Bike Ride

Thu, 08 Dec 2011

Sunday 3rd July 2011

L-R: Paul Field, Gareth Hughes, Lance Bucknall, Dean Summers, Adam Thomas
Front: Nathan Sutton

Back in July, a group from the Harrow Football Club (named after the pub in Thurmaston, not the town!) decided to hold a sponsored event for Coping with Cancer, to show their appreciation of the work we do, plus the mum of one of the group has been a bowel cancer patient for a number of years.

Dean, one of the group of six who took part in the challenge, recounts the story in his own words….

“We got together and finally came up with the idea of biking from Skegness to Leicester, as we thought it would be fun (we were wrong - it was the hardest thing we have ever done!!!!)

On July 3rd, we all met at the Harrow Pub in Thurmaston at 6.30am and set off in the cars at 7.00am with the bikes on a wagon to sunny Skegness. We arrived there at 9.00am, the bikes however didn’t, turning up 45 minutes later! Not to worry as it gave us lads a chance to have a kick about on the beach and get prepared (i.e. ‘vaselined’) for the journey ahead.

The bikes arrived, we took some photos and we were on our way by 10am. Gareth, who had a speedometer on his bike and told us every mile how far we had left and how fast we were going - 91 miles suddenly seemed a very long way!

The plan was to stick together and the first 30 miles seemed a breeze! We didn't realise that the rest of the journey was uphill! 30 miles done and Paul Field was a machine and wanted to go faster so we let him and he shot off into the distance and we didn't see him until the finish line. (he did have the best bike though…). The others, including myself, tried to pace ourselves a little more, encourage and help each other as much as possible. It proved a little too much of a task for Nathan (who didn't train at all) and he had to continue the rest of the journey in one of the cars (great effort though).

6 hours later and a lot of flapjack and bananas inside us, we finally hit the home straight and the pub was insight. We passed the finish line to the cheer of friends and family, then the sense of achievement and relief kicked in.

The ride brought a group of team mates who were close before, closer than ever. We all struggled and would not have made it without supporting each other and pushing one another through the rough parts of the ride.

A big thank you goes to Holly, Donna and Sarah for their support and being there throughout all the planning and the event itself, it could not have been easy!

Well done to everyone who took part, those who sponsored us and helped us raise a fantastic £2,000 for Coping with Cancer.”

Dean Summers

Debenhams Winter Fashion Show & Shopping Evening

Tue, 29 Nov 2011

It was another hugely successful night at Debenhams, Leicester on Tuesday 15th November. The Personal Shopping Team, led by Manager Rose Wheeler, showcased the latest Autumn / Winter trends, including casual and business wear and that all-important ‘wow’ dress for the Christmas party season.

Over 150 people filled the restaurant area on the top floor, which was changed into a cat-walk for the night. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the show, with the clothes being modelled by members of the Personal Shopping team, plus staff and friends. However it was the three male models who played to the audience and really stole the show – our thanks go to Dave, Gordon and Paul for appearing on the night!

Alongside ticket sales for the show plus raffle tickets sold on the night, a fantastic £1015.25 was raised for Coping with Cancer. As Dave, one of our models put it:

“The work Coping with Cancer does is amazing, and I’m more than happy to support you if I can. £1015.25 is a great return, and I’m sure will be put to good use”

Thank you to Coping with Cancer supporters Mary and Chris for giving up their time to sell over 300 raffle tickets within a space of 45 minutes! As ever Debenhams provided some beautiful raffle prizes and goody bags for every guest.

Our sincere thanks go to the Personal Shopping Team for their on-going support for Coping with Cancer and to professional photographer Josie Parr for taking the wonderful photos on the night.

For more details regarding Debenhams’ free Personal Shopping Service please call 0116 2488932.

Images courtesy of and copyright Josie Parr, www.josieparr.com

Bollywood Dinner and Dance

Tue, 22 Nov 2011

On Sunday 20th November, almost 100 people gathered at Helen Webb House for our Bollywood Dinner and Dance. Entertainment was provided courtesy of a Bollywood DJ, with mendhi designs and nail art for the ladies. Following a delicious, Indian-themed buffet dinner, the fundraising total was topped up with a raffle, with a wide range of prizes on offer including some beautiful saris.

Thanks to the generosity of those attending, £1124 was raised from the event. Our thanks to everyone that came along, and to our volunteers who helped to organise the event and serve food on the evening.

Musical Evening Raises the Roof at Helen Webb House

Mon, 21 Nov 2011

On 17th November 2011, an eclectic selection of local musical acts entertained an audience of around 90 people at our first ‘Evening of Music’.

First up were our very own community choir, Rhythm of Life. Starting off with some African folk songs, the group also sang hits from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals and ended to a very loud round of applause with their signature song, ‘Rhythm of Life’, performed in public for the first time. Although some members of the choir were nervous, they went down very well with the audience and received many positive comments.

Next up were barbershop quartet, Grand Dads who entertained the crowd with not just singing but a little impromptu comedy too! They were followed by talented female duo, Two Penn’orth, who performed a variety of classical and modern hits.

Rounding off the evening, the fantastic ‘Sounds Like Swing' performed hits from the 40s to the 70s, finishing with ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and ‘Delilah’, which had the audience on their feet and singing along!

A brilliant evening was had by all, and over £700 was raised for Coping with Cancer.

Chris Walker’s Casino and Disco Night

Fri, 18 Nov 2011

Enderby Working Men’s Club
Saturday 12th November

Enderby WMC was transformed for the night by Chris and his family for their fundraising event to support Coping with Cancer. Nearly 200 friends, work colleagues and family filled the two rooms and were entertained on the night by Sound 49.

Betting on the casino tables was very brisk, with Mark and his team of 5 croupiers leading first-time casino go-ers through the ins and out of playing the roulette table, black jack, poker and table horse racing – as well as keeping more experienced players entertained! At the end of the allotted betting time, those lucky enough to have made decent winnings, cashed in their chips for event ‘cheques’ to bid on mystery boxes of goodies that Chris had prepared.

There was also a fabulous range of raffle prizes on offer, kindly donated by Chris’s motor trade contacts, local businesses, tourist attractions and friends, which were all beautifully gift wrapped by a friend of Chris and his wife Julie. Top prize on the night was a lap-top plus hampers of wine, perfumes and gift vouchers.

The evening finished with everyone dancing to sounds from the 80s and 90s by Sound 49, with the last song wrapping up the event at 12.30am.

An amazing £1474.97 was raised on the night and Coping with Cancer would like to thank Chris, Julie, their friends and family for all the hard work they put into such a successful and enjoyable evening.

For details of Sound 49’s disco, casino and race nights, please contact Mark Bodycot on mr_b82@msn.com or call 0777 889 6170.

Festive Fundraising at our Christmas Fayre

Wed, 16 Nov 2011

With the festive season just round the corner, clients, volunteers and local residents popped into to our Christmas Fayre at Helen Webb House on the 12th November, to make a start (or maybe even finish off!) their Christmas shopping and helped to raise a magnificent £734.31.

A lovely selection of gifts, goodies, plants, cards and crafts were on offer, including for the first time Coping with Cancer’s very own Christmas cards, which are proving to be very popular. Browsers were also able to take time-out with refreshments and enjoy an assortment of beautiful home-made cakes, kindly donated by various supporters of the charity.

Our thanks to the external stall holders who attended our Christmas Fayre, Coping with Cancer volunteers who manned our stalls and to Woodlands Garden Centre and Nursery for donating the beautiful Poinsettias and Cyclamens.

Navratri Celebrations raise funds for Coping with Cancer

Wed, 16 Nov 2011

Several thousand people gathered to celebrate the festival of Navratri at the Kapital Venue in Leicester. The event, which raised £1,565 for Coping With Cancer, is organised every year by Jai Promotions in conjunction with Ekta Arts. Sponsored by Bhaarat Welfare Trust, this year music was provided by the popular group from Mumbai, ‘Nirmala Arts’, which featured Gujarati films playback singer Rajendra Pala and leading female vocalist Ankita Gajab.

The fun-filled extravaganza took place between September 28th and October 6th, uniting both young and older members of the community.

Organiser Pravin Majithia, whose wife volunteers with Coping with Cancer said: "We are thrilled to have been able to raise funds for the charity through the auspicious occasion of Navratri and would like to continue to offer our support for the good cause. The event was a huge success this year thanks to support from local businesses and bigger corporate organisations. We hope we can continue to raise the bar every year."

Traditionally the festival is celebrated over nine nights and is concluded on the tenth night, which is known as Vijyadasmi. Members of the Hindu community celebrate the occasion by participating in raas garba and dandia raas (traditional Indian stick dances) alongside offering prayers and prashad (religious food offerings).

Leicester city in particular has one of the biggest celebrations across the country attracting more than 50,000 people throughout the festivals duration, which is celebrated across 30 different venues in the county.

Freeth Cartwright Charity of the Year

Thu, 10 Nov 2011

2012 sees the start of a new partnership between Coping With Cancer and Freeth Cartwright Solicitors. Coping with Cancer has been nominated as one of the six local charities that Freeth Cartwright LLP will be raising money across their nationwide offices over the next twelve months. Staff will not only be raising funds through dress down days, cake and books sales, sponsored events etc but also assist Coping with Cancer by volunteering their time to help with their very worthwhile charity based in Leicester.

Mukesh Patel, Partner, said "I am delighted to be asked to help friends and colleagues support Coping with Cancer, our Leicester office nominated charity this year. Cancer increasingly affects all of us, whether directly or through knowing others having to cope with it. I look forward to the year ahead and our efforts to raise awareness and raise funds for this deserving local charity."

Freeth Cartwright LLP is a major national law firm offering services to a wide range of commercial and private clients. It has offices in Colton Square, Leicester at the heart of the city’s Business Quarter.

L-R Teresa Bourke, Mukesh Patel, Joy Downes, Jade McCall, Harjit Saund and Sally Stephens of Freeth Cartwright's Leicester office.

Does your company choose a Charity of the Year? Please consider nominating Coping with Cancer. We work alongside our fundraisers to offer support and advice, ideas for events and help with marketing. For more information about choosing Coping with Cancer as your Charity of the Year, pick up a leaflet from Helen Webb House, or visit our Charity of the Year web pages.

12 adventurers… 3 mountains… 24 hours

Wed, 09 Nov 2011

On the 17th September 2011, twelve friends and family joined forces to complete the Three Peaks Challenge, ably assisted by 5 helpers/drivers/feeders and 3 dogs! The Three Peaks Challenge consists of climbing the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales - Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon - all within 24 hours.

Of the challenge, Jayne Brennan said “This was a tough feat mentally, emotionally and physically, but with support and help from each other we conquered the challenge! The overwhelming generosity and support from all those who sponsored and believed in us certainly willed us up those mountains and across those miles. On behalf of the team, I’d like to say a huge thanks to all of you!

Amongst the camaraderie of people losing things on the walk, losing things on the bus, and feeling we were all losing our minds, Mum then decided she would also get lost... along a cliff edge! (She was surprised that there were no directions for her up the mountain!)

Our adventure was challenging but rewarding and we hope that the money we have raised goes a long way to supporting people who are ‘coping with cancer’ now and in the future. We also hope our story inspires you to go out and do some fundraising too to help this great charity!”

Coping with Cancer would like to say a massive thank you to Jayne, her friends and family that took on the challenge, and everyone who sponsored and supported them. To date, including the all-important Gift Aid, they have raised over £4500, with some more still to come, which is a staggering amount!

If you would like to take on a challenge to raise funds for Coping with Cancer, visit our fundraising web pages, where you’ll find some great fundraising ideas. For advice and support on planning your event, you can also contact us on 0116 223 0055 or email fundraising@c-w-c.org.uk

Youth Group Alton Towers Scarefest Trip

Fri, 04 Nov 2011

Thank you to Nandos from Coping with Cancer Youth Group

Coping with Cancer Youth Group spent Sunday 30th to Monday 31st October 2011 at Alton Towers Resort. Thirteen young people affected by cancer, along with staff members Faye Wright (Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator) and Tricia Halford (CLIC Sargent Social Worker) and volunteer supporters Richard Moody, Rachel Boardman.

We arrived at Splash Landings hotel and made our way into the Alton Towers Park. We soon got into the Halloween spirit when we entered the terrifying Terror Towers experience and enjoyed the adrenalin fuelled rollercoaster rides. We enjoyed an all you can eat buffet back at the hotel followed by ghost stories read by torchlight!

On Monday we enjoyed a full English breakfast before making our way back into the park to experience more exhilarating rides ‘Nemesis’, ‘Air’ and Sonic SpinBall. We finished the day with a water fight on the mutiny bay boats! The young people would like to say a huge thanks to Laura Totten, manager at Nandos, and the staff that helped to make the Chicken for Charity Night a success. The trip was fully funded by the money raised at this event back in January.

Faye Wright, who runs the Youth Group, said "Thanks Nandos…the trip allowed the young people to have a much needed treat and break away from home and it allowed them to socialise with other young people who have gone through similar experiences. We could never have organised the trip without the Nandos fundraising event"

Faeries Flock to Melton for Enchanted Ball

Thu, 03 Nov 2011

This year’s Enchanted Faery Ball, held at the Pera Conference Centre, Melton Mowbray on Saturday 29th October, was a resounding success. Over 200 faeries, woodland folk and all manner of guests dressed for the more traditional Halloween party, and danced the night away to bands ‘Angels with Dirty Faces’ and Faery Ball favourites ‘Endless Knott’. It was lovely to see so many young children and teenagers at the event, proving once again that the Faery Ball is a family evening, enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds.

This year, the Faery Ball was officially opened by the Mayor of Melton Mowbray, Alison Freer, who donned her official ‘chain of office’ and a rather fetching pair of wings!

We are pleased to announce that £1,200 was raised for Coping with Cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland on the night, through ticket sales, tombola and auction. Our sincere thanks go to Lesley Morgan of Far Fetched, Melton Mowbray for organising the ball, her hard work and commitment throughout the year has been commendable. Thanks also go to Nicky Squires, Gayani De Silva for the beautiful flower arrangements, John Routledge for taking some amazing photographs and to Lesley and Rachel at Pera for their support.

The money raised by the Faery Ball will be used to support our Melton Mowbary Time Out group, which meets twice a month at the Samworth Centre, Burton Street, Melton Mowbray.

Photos courtesy of and (c) John Routledge

Chris Runs Leicester Marathon

Tue, 01 Nov 2011

Coping with Cancer supported Chris Green’s Mum during her cancer journey, and Chris decided to challenge himself to complete the Leicester Marathon on 9th October this year in support of us and in her memory.

“Well, I did it.

26.2 miles completed and to be honest it doesn't seem real to me. I have spent my life thinking that people who go running are mad and it's something I could never do and yet now I can say I have completed a marathon and in my brain it just does not compute!

I couldn't have done it, if it wasn't for Mum, not just because her death was the reason I wanted to raise money but because whenever I was tired or wanted to stop running I just had to think of what she went through and how hard she fought and it kept me going. I couldn't let her down.

If you have read the 'My Mum' page on my blog you'll understand that it wasn't easy learning how my Mum felt, and what she was going through all those years ago and although I know I was a child at the time, it doesn't stop the regret I feel that she felt so alone. Since then she beat cancer again in her kidney and bladder before finally passing away in her sleep on 29th December 2010. She died from a cancer in her colon that I don't even think she knew about.

I decided to run a marathon because when I first read what she wrote I felt so ashamed that I did not understand how she had felt or what she was going through. She endured so much on her own and I wanted to show her that I understood. It seems naive when I put it into words but the marathon was my way of trying to understand what she went through. It was an endurance for me that I have never experienced and it will stay with me forever, but more than that it is a positive outcome to my Mum's death. I published extracts from my Mum's writings on my blog because I know that she wanted people to understand what she had felt and experienced in the hope that they would be educated to help others, to be able to understand the emotional as well as physical trauma that cancer can inflict on people.

As well as raising money for a charity that does should good work for people that really need it, I hoped that people would read my blog and listen to my Mum, because as she always said, 'We can all learn something from everyone’."

You can read Chris’ blog at http://runfivehundredmiles.blogspot.com

Richard completes Leicester Half Marathon

Tue, 01 Nov 2011

Richard Milsom was inspired to do something positive by his work colleague Lisa, who lost both her sister and then her 14 year old daughter Kathryn to cancer in quick succession. Following a 10k run in April in aid of Clic Sargent, Richard decided to take the plunge and enter the Leicester Half Marathon on 9th October, in support of Coping with Cancer.

“It was great fun to run the Leicester Half Marathon, over two weeks ago now, raising awareness and a few quid for a great cause and the experience is only beginning to sink in now. It’s certainly one that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Training had been going quite smoothly in the months leading up to October 9th. I'd avoided injury and even the cold I'd picked up was just about beaten. I took great pride in following pro-runner tips like ice cold baths, compression socks and eating large quantities of carbohydrates, guilt free. I'd covered new distances, an 11km run across town and even an 18km cross country effort, although I did take the odd walking break. I was ready. Or so I thought.

Looking back I'd have done even more preparation and made more allowances for my 44 year old knee joints, veterans of the muddy fields of Leicester's Sunday league football pitches. No preparation would have been enough for what happened next though. The week before the race, with comedy timing, from nowhere, I acquired an excruciating, debilitating back pain. I found myself hunched over, leaning on walls for support while friends tried hard not to smirk. For some reason I found it funny too. Thankfully my intuition that my back pain would subside proved correct and two days before the race I was able to walk again. Little did I know, this was just the beginning...

It’s important not to exaggerate the excitement of the day but I could hardly contain myself as I loosened up, pacing around the starting enclosure in my bespoke, rain proof bin liner. Then the moment arrived and we were all underway. Such events are truly strange and wonderful. The feeling of a sense of the common good amongst many I had chatted to before setting off was right there, as we all moved en-masse down Charles Street. The only sound now being made was by four thousand soft cushioned trainers padding on the concrete, very strange. I do wish I was a natural runner as this really is my kind of thing, but unfortunately as I found out, I'm not. Whilst it was tremendous fun, a great personal achievement and fabulous atmosphere on the day, the pain I began to feel was still quite a big shock to the system. I noticed a nagging ache in my right knee after stopping for a drink at the half way mark. From here on it was a battle of will that I was sure I wasn't going to win.

Running through Watermead park was beautiful, beside the canal into Abbey Park was lovely and then as we came through the Highcross buildings the sound of the Brazilian drumming band echoed off the tall enclosed walls and I was lifted again. Now of course the bemused shoppers don't want to see you walking so I carried on up the High Street and down Gallowtree Gate until I was round the corner and the pace I'd kept constantly finally dropped. I trudged up past the market stalls feeling beaten. Then of course the reasons for doing this in the first place, the motivation to get fit and to slog through the last hour and fifty minutes became more focussed. Whatever aches and tiredness I was feeling, must be nothing at all compared to undergoing a course of chemo. Inspired by the positivity and fight of a survivor, my friend's fantastic fourteen year old daughter Louise and with Kathryn's purple wrist band never far from sight, I could kick on again.

So I picked up the pace and I’m glad to say ran all the way up New Walk and over the finish line. Hurrah! Bring on the endorphin rush, sense of relief and a nice park bench to sit on. Two hours and three minutes. Thank you very much.

I would urge anyone thinking of doing this, to do so. It’s a fantastic experience, is very well organised and judging from the appearance of others at the finish line, not everyone finds it as difficult as I did on the day. I’m putting this down to dodgy joints and a sniffle. I’m looking forward to running again but as yet have not tested my poorly knee out properly. I’ve currently raised £573 including gift aid, and the pleasure of eating malt loaf and peanut butter sandwiches is great too.”

Wyggeston's Hospital Christmas Fayre

Mon, 31 Oct 2011

Wyggeston's Hospital on Hinckley Road has been supporting Coping with Cancer throughout 2011 as their Charity of the Year.

Their Autumn Fayre is taking place from 11.00am - 2.00pm on Saturday 5th November, at the hospital on Hinckley Road. Admission is 50p and stalls include cakes and preserves, a raffle, nearly new clothes, bric-a-brac, a tombola, books and much more, plus refreshments are available all day.

All proceeds from the fayre are for Coping with Cancer.

For directions, click here.

From Jazz to Disco, Musical Events Boost Fundraising Total!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011

A fun evening out is always a great way to raise funds for Coping with Cancer, and two local fundraisers recently proved this with fantastic musical events!

On 10th June, Nimmi Johal organised a 70s night at the Nottingham Oddfellows Club on Humberstone Gate, complete with 70s disco and fancy dress outfits from the era. Boosting her fundraising total with a raffle, Nimmi’s event raised over £2000.

On 28th August, Lulu Littleboy organised a Jazz Evening at her home in Knossington, Rutland. Guests were greeted with canapés and Pimms, followed by a performance from jazz singer Mellow Baku. Again, boosting the total with a raffle, Lulu’s event raised a fantastic £700.

If you’re inspired to organise a fundraising evening, check out our fundraising guide. For the music fans amongst you, our Musical Evening on 17th November features a great line up of acts, including Coping with Cancer’s very own community choir, ‘Rhythm of Life’.

Christmas Concert and Panto in aid of Coping with Cancer

Mon, 31 Oct 2011

Glen Parva Parish Council is supporting Coping with Cancer during 2011 as one of their Charities of the Year. They have two upcoming events, and a donation from the proceeds of each will go to Coping with Cancer.

Their Christmas Concert takes place on 11th December at 3.30pm and features children from Glen Hills School, Lancaster Community Choir and Dolce Tuba Quartet. Admission is by ticket only, and includes mulled wine on arrival. There will also be a raffle, refreshments and a visit from santa. The concert will take place at the War Memorial Hall on Dorothy Avenue and tickets (£2.50 each) are available from 0116 277 1450.

This year's pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, takes place on 27th December at 1.30pm, also at the War Memorial Hall. Tickets are £7 for adults, £5 for children and £20 for a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children). Tickets are available from 0116 277 1450.

Gary Lineker lends his support to Leicester Lung Cancer Campaign

Thu, 27 Oct 2011

Leicester is being targeted in a lung cancer awareness drive to help people recognise the symptoms of lung cancer.

Nurses and British Lung Foundation representatives will be on hand to offer advice, provide leaflets and discuss symptoms, including a persistent cough that lasts over three weeks, at a roadshow event being held from 10am till 4pm on Monday 31 October at Asda in Braunstone. This will be the first roadshow in the East Midlands and is part of a series being held across the Midlands as part of the Department of Health’s new Be Clear on Cancer campaign.

The latest figures reveal that over 500 people aged 50 or over in Leicestershire were diagnosed with the disease in 2009 and over 400 people died, some of which may have been saved if diagnosed earlier. Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in England.

The campaign is being piloted across the Midlands and aims to help people recognise the symptoms of lung cancer in themselves, relatives, friends or others in the community to prompt a visit to the GP. The main message is clear: if you have a cough that lasts over three weeks you need to see a doctor.

Gary Lineker, former Leicester City and England player, said:
“No one likes the thought of getting bad news. But if you have something that’s nagging, such as a persistent cough that won’t go away, the news could be a lot worse if you don’t see your doctor. So go and get it investigated as early as you can; by doing so you could save your life.”

Jeremy Bacon, Support and Development Manager, British Lung Foundation Midlands, said: “Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in England. But the earlier it is caught the better chance people have of surviving.
“This campaign is vital to let people know what the symptoms are so they can spot them in themselves, relatives or friends; a common symptom is a cough that lasts over three weeks.
“Often people think that there is nothing to worry about or they are so worried they put off seeing a GP but this visit could save their lives.”

The Be Clear on Cancer pilot campaign was launched in the Midlands on 10 October and is running for five weeks, leading up to Lung Cancer awareness month in November. TV, radio and press advertisements feature GPs and the key message – been coughing for three weeks? Tell your doctor. Measham GP Dr Pawan Randev features in the adverts.
The campaign builds upon the success of the recent Be Clear On Cancer – Bowel Cancer pilot campaign which helped achieve a 48 per cent increase in the number of people who visited their GP with the key symptoms and a 32 per cent increase in urgent referrals to hospital. Following these successes, the bowel cancer campaign will be rolled out across England from the end of January 2012.

For further information on lung cancer visit www.nhs.uk/lungcancer

Successful curry night raises over £1000 for Coping with Cancer

Mon, 17 Oct 2011

On Monday 10th October, Coping with Cancer hosted a curry night at The Cuisine of India restaurant in Wigston. Diners were treated to a delicious three course Indian meal, as well as entertainment from local magician Dave Vegas whilst waiting to be served.

Over 90 people attended the evening, and special thanks go to Jeff Chaplin, who rounded up over 70 friends, family and colleagues to ensure a fantastic fundraising total was achieved! Including our raffle and a generous donation from Syed and the restaurant team, £1135.94 was raised in total.

Thanks to everyone who attended on the night, and to Syed and the team at The Cuisine of India for organising the event.

The Great Lutterworth Santa Fun Run supporting Coping with Cancer

Thu, 06 Oct 2011

Coping with Cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland is delighted to have been chosen as one of the selected charities for this years Great Lutterworth Santa Fun Run!

Taking place from 10.00am on Sunday 27th November, this is the third Santa Fun Run in Lutterworth, the 5.5km flat, circular route is designed to appeal to all ages and physical abilities.

Organised by Lutterworth’s two Rotary Clubs, The Rotary Club of Lutterworth and The Rotary Club of Lutterworth Wycliffe, the entry fee is £10 for adults and £4 for children and includes a free Santa suit, hat and beard to wear whilst completing the route. You can then choose to raise additional sponsorship for your chosen charity, and we’re hoping that as many people as possible will choose to take part in this fun event and support Coping with Cancer.

For more information about the run, visit the official website at www.santafunrun.org.uk

To download an entry form and register for the run, visit our Santa Fun Run events page.

Team from Ford & Slater tackle Helen Webb House gardens

Mon, 03 Oct 2011

On Thursday 15th September 2011, a team of 12 staff from local company Ford & Slater arrived at Helen Webb House to tackle our neglected and somewhat overgrown gardens.

During their day of hard work, the group dug out all of our weeds, pruned our overgrown shrubs, planted new plants and laid around three tonnes of bark, as well as filling a skip and sweeping the whole car park!

We would like to thank all of the staff from Ford & Slater for their hard work. The outside areas at the front and side of Helen Webb House are now tidy and much more welcoming, and their efforts will mean that the gardens will be easy for us to manage and maintain in the future.

The team challenge was organised by Leicestershire Cares, a charity that brings together local businesses and community groups. It offers a range of opportunities designed to make volunteering easy, rewarding, and valuable for all involved: companies, employees and communities.

“Ford and Slater has been a member of Leicestershire Cares for four years. It is a very active and committed company member which has enabled many of its staff to get involved in regular volunteering activities. The effective way that the team tackled the work at Coping with Cancer is a great example of how this approach can deliver valuable community work”.
Rosie Colls, Community Development Coordinator, Leicestershire Cares.

For more information about Leicestershire Cares, visit www.leicestershirecares.co.uk.

Chris runs 500 miles for Coping with Cancer

Fri, 30 Sep 2011

Chris Green is raising funds for Coping with Cancer by running in the Leicester Marathon on the 9th October. In his own words, Chris tells us why he is taking on this challenge:

“Coping with cancer is a charity that helped my Mum through her cancer, and I've decided to run a marathon to raise money for them. Over the course of my training and including the final 26 mile marathon I will have ran 500 miles - for a lazy bum like me, that's a lot of running.

I'm now nearing the end of my training for the Leicester Marathon on October 9th. If you don't believe that I can do it (having never ran before, I can't blame you) you can check out my blog: http://runfivehundredmiles.blogspot.com and see for yourself how the training has been going. There have been some ups, and many downs, but having completed the half marathon already, I'm confident that I can succeed on the day and do my Mum proud.

Despite the personal satisfaction of actually completing a marathon this isn't really about me, I really want to raise money for a charity that helped my Mum, but also helps hundreds of families affected by cancer; the patients, the partners, the children, the carers, anybody.

I know we all get asked for sponsorship for one thing or another, but anyone who knows me, knows that I have never done any regular exercise or played sports, so this is a real personal challenge. I have built up my fitness since March and if you read my blog you'll see it hasn't been easy, but it will all be worth it if I can reach my target for sponsorship, and for that I need you to help me.

I will be grateful for anything you can afford, and it will really help me on the day to know that it has all been worth while.

You can donate via the blog or go directly to my sponsorship page.”

Recycle your stuff for Coping with Cancer!

Thu, 22 Sep 2011

Did you know that we are able to raise funds for Coping with Cancer by recycling the following items:

Old mobile phones: they do not need to be boxed, or have their charger
Used inkjet cartidges: not all types of worth money, but those that aren't are disposed of responsibly
CD Albums: genuine (not copied) CD albums with a barcode on the sleeve (we cannot accept CD singles)
DVDs: genuine (not copied) DVD films and television series with a barcode on the sleeve
Computer games: we can accept PS2, PS3, PSP (games only, not films), XBox, XBox360, Wii, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS. (Please note we cannot accept any other games, e.g. PS1, PC software, old console cartridges)

By donating your old phones, inkjet cartidges, CDs, DVDs and games to Coping with Cancer, you’re not only helping the environment, but raising funds to support local people affected by cancer.

For more information, please click here!

Support a new lung cancer campaign by sharing your story

Thu, 22 Sep 2011

To help spread the message that early detection makes lung cancer more treatable, Coping with Cancer is supporting a new campaign which is calling for people to tell their story.

If you’re over 50, had a persistent cough which you went to the doctor about and were subsequently diagnosed with early stage, and treatable lung cancer, then your story could help others beat the killer disease.

Giving a personal account of your experiences will go a long way in helping encourage others to get their coughs checked and could ultimately save lives.

For an informal chat about the campaign and how you may be able to help, please contact Jane Hall on 0116 223 0055 or email jane.hall@c-w-c.org.uk

Family Fun Day

Mon, 19 Sep 2011

Saturday 17th September saw us throw open the doors at Helen Webb House for our third annual Family Fun Day. The event raises funds for both Coping with Cancer, and our Youth Group which meets once a month on a Thursday evening.

Featuring the obligatory bouncy castle, a huge cake stall, mendhi and nails, face painting and our star prize tombola, as well as a variety of stalls, this year the crowds were entertained by dancers from the Ann Oliver Stage School, and Dave Vegas, a talented magician who proved popular with everyone. (We asked if he could show our fundraising department how he turns a £10 note into a £20, but he wouldn’t break the magician’s code!)

We would like to thank everyone who helped make the day a success, including Coping with Cancer volunteers Chris Hallam, Tereza Kaprasova, Sam Court, Manju and Darshan Bhalla, Margaret Ellingworth and Sony from Henna Hands, as well as the members of the Coping with Cancer Youth Group and helpers from the team at the LRI. Thanks also to everyone who baked cakes and donated prizes, especially the ever-generous Laura and the team at Nando’s on Granby Street.

The event raised over £600, an increase on last year’s Family Fun Day. For more information about our youth group please contact:

Faye Wright
Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator
Teenage and Young Adult Cancer Service
Knighton Street Offices
Leicester Royal Infirmary
Leicester
LE1 5WW

Office: 0116 258 6905
Mobile: 07432100299

British Model Flying Association Nationals 2011

Mon, 19 Sep 2011

The British Model Flying Association Nationals took place at RAF Barkston Heath from 27th – 29th August 2011. Mike and Helen Feaver kindly organised a bucket collection at the event, for the second year running, ably assisted by Andy Coe, Jamie Sawbridge, Lizzie Coe, Danny Allen, Jo Warner, Richard Coe and Regan Sawbridge. We would like to thank everyone who helped with the collection, which raised a staggering £1500.40

The BMFA is the National Governing Body for the sport of model flying, and their national championships take place each year in August. For more information, visit www.bmfa.org

Front L-R: Andy Coe, Lizzie Coe, baby Regan Sawbridge, Jo Warner Back L-R: Helen Feaver, Jamie Sawbridge, Danny Allen, Richard Coe and Mike Feaver

Afternoon Tea with the Psychics

Thu, 15 Sep 2011

Saturday 10th September 2011

It was another busy afternoon at Helen Webb House, as around 80 people passed through our doors for the ever popular psychic afternoon.

Ten mediums were offering a variety of readings from tarot cards, clairvoyance and even the crystal ball. As the bookings piled in people enjoyed a cream tea whilst waiting their turn. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful afternoon and a staggering £696.00 was raised for Coping with Cancer.

For those of you wishing to book a Christmas night out keep Thursday the 15th December free and join us for our Psychic supper. There will several mediums offering a variety of readings at your table and everyone will be guaranteed at least one reading. Tickets are only £10.00 and that includes a buffet supper too. The psychic supper is taking place at Helen Webb House.

Our thanks, as always, go to Ros and Dave from the Yatahees for organising the mediums and for their fantastic support throughout the year.

Kath & Dawn’s Tandem Parachute Jump

Wed, 07 Sep 2011

Sunday 28th August 2011 - Langar Airfield, Leics / Notts border

Kath’s Story

We did it !!!!!!!!!

What an experience !!!!!!!

Having been told to arrive early in order to chose the approximate time of a flight to suit us (mainly for the convenience of our supporters), we both arrived VERY early, to give us plenty of time for the excitement (nerves!) to build up.

At 9 o'clock we had a briefing - very prescriptive and thorough. The part we thought we'd struggle on was bending our knees up high then straightening out the legs just before landing. We couldn't do it on the ground, so were sceptical about our ability to do it dangling in the air!!

We chose a flight at about 11am so were able to watch the first two plane-loads take off, float down and land. This added to the 'excitement'!

Our supporters all arrived about half an hour before we got the call to 'suit up'. This involved donning an all-in-one suit and a harness. This latter was the means by which we were to be attached to our instructor.

I think I drew the lucky straw as I had Dave, the main instructor for my 'backpack'! He made sure that I had a suit which had loops on the knees which could be used to manually pull the knees up at the right moment.

Quite quickly we then went out to the airfield to be loaded into the plane (which, incidentally, looked about the size of the one which my grandson had recently made from LEGO!). The plane had no seats and we sat legs akimbo fitted into each other like sardines in a tin. There were two rows of six or seven, just three of us tandem jumping. The others were due to video the falls with cameras mounted on their helmets. We were clipped securely to our 'minders', the harnesses pulled even tighter and we took off.

It took 20 minutes to reach the necessary 14 000 feet and just before that we donned our helmets, gloves and goggles. One by one (or two by two) we left the plane and went into free-fall. This was amazing, plummeting through the clouds at 120 mph! This only lasted for about 50 seconds and then the parachute was deployed and the rest of the fall was very gentle, enabling the instructor to point out places of interest. We landed, all in one piece, about 20 yards from our supporters (me having impressed Dave with my ability to raise my feet when my knees were bent!) and a team of young men ran to control their parachute and prevent us being dragged along by the wind, which had become so strong that there were to be no more flights that day.

Would I do it again?? Since I wasn't scared of any of the experience, but did feel nauseous during the parachute floating, I have mixed feelings. With anti-nausea medication - YES!!!!!!!

Kath

Dawn’s story

“Wicked”

I arrived early to meet Kath the morning of the jump. People kept saying I was a crazy lady and also was I frightened? No I kept saying I’m really excited even on arrival at the airfield. Watching the video of what was expected was even better. Then came the briefing and training, my nerves then started to kick in and I remember Dave (Dawn’s partner) saying “if you’re not nervous, then you’re not human!” and “no nerves equals no adrenaline and that’s what’s needed for a good jump and enjoyment”. The nerves came!

I remember putting on the harness and couldn’t really walk – they tightened it again before jumping!

I had no idea what to expect and before I knew it, I was tossed out of the plane, falling and screaming with no sound as I couldn’t breathe. I had a man videoing me, so screaming with thumbs up was weird. When the parachute opened it was different again, it was as near to flying as you could get and I loved it! I still cannot believe that I’ve done it and it was a wicked experience and one that I would do again.

I’m now thinking ‘how do I follow and top that’ with the next adrenaline thrill!

Navratri 2011 Celebrations to support Coping with Cancer

Fri, 02 Sep 2011

This year's Navratri Celebrations at The Kapital Venue in Leicester will again kindly be supporting Coping with Cancer.

Tickets are available from Radia's, Duka ya Tambu, BJ's Pizza and the Bhaarat Welfare Trust. For further information, contact Pravin Majithia on 07971 626464

Richard embarks on fundraising challenge

Fri, 02 Sep 2011

Richard Milsom has been inspired to raise money for Coping with Cancer by the support given to his friends. He describes what he’s decided to do and why:

“I was inspired to do something positive by my work colleague Lisa Leeland who lost both her sister and then her 14 year old daughter (Kathryn) to cancer in quick succession. Being close to someone who has gone through such a trauma brought home to me very clearly the importance of care and support not only for the patient but for their family. Like many people I have felt comfortable being at arms length from charity, knowing it was right to give but suiting myself when and how much I donated. When I saw the daily stress that goes with caring for and also losing loved ones more closely, getting more involved with paying a little more back became more important.

I took the plunge in April this year raising money for a sponsored 10km run and was amazed at how quickly I was able to gather £750, donating to Clic Sargent at Lisa's request. Far from feeling like I was rattling a tin in peoples faces, I was amazed at people's generosity and by the reward I felt, focussing on both getting sponsors and finding out more about cancer and its sufferers. Many of my friends and those around me had experiences to share. I also found a huge resource on Twitter of truly inspiring campaigners, copers, supporters and fundraisers that enlightened, inspired and without wishing to, repeatedly broke my heart.

My sense of achievement pushed me on to take up the next challenge, running a half marathon and beyond. For the second time in six months I realised I would be pestering people to give money and this has been much harder to do. Once again I have been amazed at the reaction of those who have had a personal experience relating to cancer and once again many have been only too happy to donate, especially when they see someone else organising or putting a little effort in. Charities like Coping with Cancer really are seen as worthy causes both by those who have benefited directly and by those who have been told about it.

I’m looking forward to my first proper fundraising event at work next week, where I will hopefully be putting on my home made chefs hat and serving up BBQ burgers and hot-dogs for the whole factory. Asking nicely has resulted in strong support from my employers and others who have more experience in fund raising than me. Such resources are just there it seems, waiting to jump on the good deed band-wagon, it just takes a little bit of pushing and the wheels start rolling.

I’m hoping to take the next few steps forward by running the full distance in the 2012 Virgin London Marathon, I'm well motivated by the chance of a place in the ballot and will hear next month if I've been successful. I know from people who have run marathons that the experience is a special one and none more so than London, in the year of the Olympics. We should all be careful what we wish for but the sense of purpose I have from my fund raising and running leave me in no doubt at all that with a little help I can focus and go the distance for a very worthy cause. Fingers crossed!”

You can support Richard by following him on Twitter or by visiting his online fundraising page.

New Fundraising Guide makes supporting Coping with Cancer easier than ever!

Wed, 31 Aug 2011

Our new Fundraising Guide makes raising funds for Coping with Cancer easier than ever. Packed with ideas, as well as hints and tips for successful fundraising, the guide is free to download from our website. If you are interested in having some fun and raising money for us at the same time, download your copy today! If you would like a hardcopy sending out to you, just contact Jane Hagreen on 0116 223 0055 or email jane.hagreen@c-w-c.org.uk and we'll pop one in the post.

We've also published some new leaflets full of fundraising ideas.

'What Will You Do?' contains our favourite ideas for getting together with friends and family, having some fun and raising some cash, as well as our top tips for organising your fundraiser. You can download a copy here or contact Jane on the details above and we'll send one out to you.

If you're thinking of raising funds with colleagues in the office, factory, shop or wherever you work, our 'What Will You Do? Fundraising at Work' leaflet is packed with our top workplace fundraising ideas. Or you could take it one step further, and choose Coping with Cancer as your workplace's Charity of the Year, spreading your fundraising efforts across a whole year and organising a variety of different events and challenges to get as many people involved as possible. Our Charity of the Year leaflet has more information.

Finally, we're looking for volunteers to start new local fundraising groups in their local area. If you can spare a few hours to get together with some likeminded people, make new friends and have some fun, why not start a Local Fundraising Group near you? There's plenty more information here.

Coping with Cancer's Latest Newsletter

Wed, 31 Aug 2011

Coping with Cancer's Summer / Autumn 2011 Newsletter is now available to read online here.

Local people put the kettle on for Coping with Cancer

Wed, 17 Aug 2011

Back in April Coping with Cancer held its first BIG Coffee Break campaign, asking local people to organise a coffee morning at home or at work to raise funds for Coping with Cancer. Organising a BIG Coffee Break was made easy thanks to the ‘organiser’s guide’, posters and invitations available to our coffee morning hosts, and events took place across the county.

Here at Helen Webb House we raised over £100 from the sales of teas and coffees, second hand books and a delicious selection of homemade cakes. The Continental Café in Syston also joined in on the day, making a donation from every cup of coffee sold and raising £50.

Lesley Green had a great time organising a BIG Coffee Break for friends and family at her home in Hinckley, raising £264. The 1st South Wigston Guides organised their event in the evening. Tracey Ball, group leader said “The girls did really well. They organised a homemade cake each to sell, sold teas and coffees, organised a raffle and put on a number of stalls including ‘name the teddy’ and a ‘lucky dip’. The girls chose their stall and invited parents and friends, and the event was really well supported.” Thanks to their hard work, the group raised over £140.

Alison Nash works for Central Trains and is based at Leicester Station. She organised a series of three BIG Coffee Breaks for her colleagues at the station, raising over £300. Alison said “There’s no canteen for the staff here at Leicester, so as well as coffees and cakes I organised some sausage cobs – these went down really well, selling out first each morning!”

It’s not too late to organise a coffee morning to raise funds for Coping with Cancer. If you want some handy tips on organising a successful event, our BIG Coffee Break guide is still available to download from our website, or you can contact us on 0116 223 0055 or email fundraising@c-w-c.org.uk and we’d be happy to help you. We plan to organise a BIG Coffee Break campaign again in 2012 and hope that you’ll be able to join us!

Wanted! Good quality second hand goods...

Mon, 15 Aug 2011

We will be holding a table-top sale in October and are seeking donations of quality, saleable second-hand goods

Clean, good condition clothes
Children’s toys and games
Homeware and kitchenware
Bric-a-brac

We can also accept genuine CD albums and DVD movies/TV shows (with a barcode on the packaging) which we can sell or recycle, and used mobile phones which we can recycle.
We are unable to accept VHS/videos, or items not in a saleable condition.

Please leave items with reception at Helen Webb House, or for more information call 0116 223 0055 or email fundraising@c-w-c.org.uk

Sainsbury's Belgrave Supports Coping with Cancer

Mon, 15 Aug 2011

We are pleased to announce that the staff of Sainsbury's on Belgrave Road, Leicester have chosen to support Coping with Cancer as their Charity of the Year for 2011/12.

During the year, the staff will organise a number of activites to raise funds for Coping with Cancer, including Diwali car park bucket collections, in-store fancy dress and more.

The team kicked off their year of supporting us by bringing in donations of tea, coffee, biscuits and cakes which will be used to keep our support groups well-refreshed, as well as some gift sets and bottles of wine we will be able to use as raffle prizes for further fundraising.

We also have Coping with Cancer collection cans on all of the tills throughout the store. After just four weeks in place, we had already collected over £100 through these cans, so thanks to all of the customers who have donated so far.

Brave pair take on skydive challenge

Fri, 15 Jul 2011

Ever fancied doing a tandem skydive from 13,000ft? Well a chance conversation has brought together two ladies who attend our Art Therapy group and a dream is now being realised. Kath explains:

“Having been unable to even get on a plane until I was about 50 (claustrophobia) I am now so relaxed on a plane that a long-held dream can become a reality.

At a chance meeting with Dawn at a Coping with Cancer Psychic Supper, we discovered that we both wanted to do a skydive, and decided to get organised and go for it. And what better cause to support than Coping with Cancer?

We found Langar airfield on-line and completed the paperwork. We both needed medical clearance, and fortunately were both given the green light. One Monday a couple of weeks later, Coping with Cancer’s fundraiser, Jane Hagreen supplied us with personalised sponsorship forms and we left the Art Group full of excitement.

Now came the difficult part - approaching friends and family to sponsor us. However, even though everyone has been amazed at the prospect of a skydive, they have all been supportive and generous.

All that remains is for THE JUMP! That will take place on 28th August 2011 - I'll let you know how it goes”.

Delta Force conquer the Three Peak Challenge

Fri, 15 Jul 2011

25^th June 2011

We are pleased to announce that Team Delta Force (aka Jonathan Briggs, Paul Allen and Greg Doherty) successfully completed the Three Peaks Challenge within 24 hours (just!) in support of Coping with Cancer. In his own words, Jonathan recalls the day:

“On 25th June, we set off from Leicester at 9am and arrived at Glen Nevis Youth Hostel at 5pm. We started the 24 hours clock at 5.15pm. Climbing Ben Nevis in near clear conditions, it wasn't long before we reached the cloud level and visibility was down to 10m. Pushing on for the summit (through a snow line), we reached the top at 19.30. We then made our way back down and arrived back at the car for 9.30pm.

Our wonderful driver (Adam Linton, who covered 1,100 miles all weekend), ferried us to Wasdale Head in super quick time (without breaking any speed limits of course) and we arrived at 4.40am. We had been warned that Scafell Pike was the most difficult of the three peaks and people weren't wrong. The terrain was hard going, the weather was very poor (thick fog, rain and cold) and the path was very steep. Eventually, after what seemed like an age, we reached the top of Scafell Pike at 6.28am. We eventually made it down from Scafell Pike at 8:30am.

Next, our driver wound his way through Merseyside (where we got a little lost after coming out of the Kingsway Tunnel), we proceeded through North Wales and arrived at the car park at Snowdon at 1pm and left at 1.15pm.

This gave us exactly 4 hours to get up and down Snowdon. The weather was fine and warm and we decided to take the Miners track (rather than the Pyg track) up. Due to the fact that it was a sunny day, the mountain was very busy and this made the going slow. Towards the top the weather cold and foggy but we reached the top at 2.30pm, leaving 1 hour 45 minutes to get down. Through sheer determination and some jogging on the last sections, we did it with 2 minutes to spare, meaning we made it to the car park at 5.13pm on Sunday.”

Well done to all of you – though maybe there would have been a few more minutes to spare if there hadn’t been so many stops en route due to travel sickness! Seriously, we are delighted that you all managed to complete the challenge and are pleased to announce that through all the support from friends, family and work colleagues, including the all-important Gift Aid, over £1,850 has been raised.

Psychic Supper

Tue, 14 Jun 2011

Thursday 10^th June 2011

Another hugely successful Psychic Supper was held at Helen Webb House on Thursday 10th June. Hosted by Coping with Cancer's Debbie Foster and Jane Hall, 11 psychics organised by long-standing supporters Ros and Dave Hackett, were on hand to give a variety of readings to 70 guests.

Guests were seated at tables of between 6 and 7, with each psychic providing a reading to the guests in a 25 minute slot, before moving onto a different table. This ensured that guests were able to experience at first hand different readings, from tarot cards, angel cards to clairvoyance. Every attendee received at least one personal reading during the evening; some lucky ones were treated to two.

To follow, guests enjoyed a freshly prepared buffet, with Charity Manager Ashley Gamble acting as head bar-man on the night! Alongside a popular raffle, we were also able to sell a wonderful range of plants, kindly donated by Woodlands Garden Centre near Hinckley.

All in all, it was a fantastic night and we are pleased to report that £975.00 was raised for the charity. Thank you to everyone who attended, to Jane, Debbie, Ashley, Ros and Dave for their hard work before and during the event and to all the psychics who were present.

Our next psychic event is a Drop-in Psychic Afternoon running from 2.00 – 5.00pm on Saturday 10th September at Helen Webb House. For more details please contact Debbie Foster on debbie.foster@c-w-c.org.uk or call 0116 223 0055.

Saladworks Knights - They Did It!

Tue, 07 Jun 2011

Saladworks Knights
Tackling and Completing the Samworth Charity Challenge for Coping with Cancer

We are pleased to announce that the Saladworks Knights team successfully completed the Samworth Charity Challenge on 21^st May. Team Leader and Engineer Martin James recalls the highlights of the day in his own words:

“We had a great time and we all managed to finish the event, quite a few teams had people drop out half way through and completed the event with only 3 in the team.

Result wise, if there had been a prize or points awarded for breaking bikes we would have won the competition. Unfortunately there wasn’t so we came 18^th out of 20. This was mainly due to picking up time penalties for finishing late. The front brake broke on my bike after it ‘fell off a tree’, this wasn’t too much of a problem as I wanted to go quick not slow down anyway. After gaining a very significant points total we started to head for the finish line, about 3 miles away when Pavel slowed down on a bend and skidded. I used Pavel as my brakes and hit him. We both ended up in a heap. If we had captured it on video you would have got another £250 coz it would have been classic “You’ve Been Framed” material. It must have looked hilarious. After we stopped laughing about it we realized that the two bikes were beyond riding and we all had to walk to the finish line, hence the penalty points for being late.

On the cycle part of the event one of the check points was mounted on a pub sign. You will be pleased, and probably surprised, to hear that we clocked into the control and carried on without going in for a swift one. We later found out the one team had stopped for a pint.

The Coast steering was great fun. This was part of what they called the ‘wet’ section which also included the kayaking. The walk/run was part of the dry section but at one point we ended up stripped down to just shorts wading in the river estuary this time without wetsuits, it wasn’t pleasant both for us in the cold water or for any onlookers J

When asked what was the best part of the event there are three thing that immediately spring to mind, 1) the finish line, 2) the hot shower after the finish line and 3) the free bar in the evening. If pressed for a fourth it would have to be the knowledge that I can take the car to the pub in future rather than running and walking there.”

All the team commented on how great and enjoyable it was, there were many laughs along the way, despite all the hard physical work. We are pleased to report that the Saladworks Knights have exceeded the target of £2,000 they were aiming to raise for Coping with Cancer, which is a fantastic achievement. The final figure will be announced shortly.

Well done to you all!

The Saladworks Knights team and one of the bike they didn’t break!

Chilled Out Fundraising!

Tue, 07 Jun 2011

Chill Out Zone, Holistic Health Exhibition, NEC Birmingham
Sunday 8^th & Monday 9^th May 2011

Back in September 2010, Coping with Cancer was thrilled to be chosen as the nominated charity to benefit from the Chill Out Zone at the annual Holistic Health Exhibition.

We were nominated by Andrea Pusey (Coping with Cancer volunteer) whilst volunteering at the event and were chosen for our flourishing and excellent complementary therapy services.

The Chill Out Zone offered either 20 or 40 minute therapy sessions, which included Reiki, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and many other wonderful therapies.

Over the course of the two days, Coping with Cancer Complementary Therapy Coordinator Lucy Pugh and our therapist Teresa Wilkinson, alongside Coping with Cancer volunteers Jean Hurst and Andrea Pusey and other therapists from around the country, were kept busy, as the Chill Out Zone was booked up solid from the moment it opened.

We are thrilled to announce that £3,400 was raised at the exhibition and we would like to thank Donna Taylor and everyone at Holistic Health for their support, plus the army of therapists who helped raise such a fantastic amount of money for our charity.

Ellie Runs the Virgin London Marathon for Coping with Cancer

Wed, 18 May 2011

We are thrilled to announce that Ellie Ridge completed the London Marathon on Sunday 17th April in a time of 4hrs and 51 minutes.

It was a day of firsts, the first time Ellie had run the marathon distance and the first time that Coping with Cancer had secured a place in the London Marathon. Having run the Leicester Half Marathon for Coping with Cancer in previous years, Ellie was our natural choice for the coveted place under the silver bond scheme (which allows charities such as ours to have one place every 5 years). Over 35,000 runners lined up, on what turned out to be a rather warm day for marathon running, and Ellie (runner number 51017) reached the half way point at 2hrs 18min and crossed the line 2hrs and 23 minutes later, making her officially the 21,647th placed runner or 5,963rd female!

Here's how she described the day:

“As expected, I didn't sleep very well the night before but luckily my boyfriend, Paul, and I had booked ourselves into a hotel in CanaryWharf which was only a few tube stops from GreenwichPark, so I didn't have to get up too early. So, once I'd filled myself with as much porridge and banana as I could manage on a nervous stomach, we made our way to the start. Spectators aren't allowed into the official start zone so Paul and I had an emotional farewell before we parted ways - him to meet up with the rest of my family and me to find my place in line! Then, of course, the inevitable happened and I found myself in a long, long queue for the loo; not great, but it at least it gave me a chance to stop and begin to take in the magnitude of the occasion. I remembered Paul telling me to look up at the helicopter overhead to remind myself that the whole thing was being broadcast around the world and to think of all my friends and family watching the TV, wondering how I was getting on. It was helpful to do that sort of thing throughout the day, otherwise I found myself concentrating so hard on the task at hand that I would forget the enormity of the occasion!

You might expect that the beginning of the marathon is very dramatic but, in actual fact, I listened to the countdown to the gun from the confounds of a portaloo (!) and even once I'd run over to where I needed to be, it was a good 20 minutes before I passed the starting line, which gives you a flavour of just how many people were participating.

The first half of the marathon was an absolute joy! I've run plenty of organised races before so was used to being cheered on by strangers, but the support given by spectators along the route of the London Marathon has to be seen (and heard!) to be believed. Children held up their hands for high-fives, entire pubs spilt on to the streets in co-ordinated fancy dress, church bells rang on the pavement, there were PA systems in people's front gardens and a plentiful supply of sweets in outstretched hands. Us humans get a lot of bad press, but this experience definitely renewed my hope in mankind!

The second half of the course took more concentration but Paul and my family managed to battle with the crowds and I got to see them twice on route, which made such a difference. My mum and aunty got so excited they nearly toppled over the barrier - it's memorable images like that which are invaluable when things get tough and you’re in need of a giggle to give yourself a boost!

The last six miles were hard and a bit of a blur if I'm honest. I just remember concentrating as hard as I could on keeping my legs moving and reminding myself that, in the grand scheme of things, six miles was no distance at all - I'd done more six mile training runs than I could remember and there was no way I was going to let myself slow to a walk after dedicating nearly four months of my life to this one event! I would definitely say that it was more of a mental battle than a physical one. Don't get me wrong, my legs wanted me to stop and they told me so, but I thought over and over again of all the people who had sponsored me and their words of support, Paul and my family waiting for me at the end, all that CWC could do with the money I'd raised and what led me to start this crazy adventure in the first place - my dad. I never doubted that I would do it because I was so determined from the beginning, but the experience has reiterated to me just how powerful the mind can be.

Needless to say, I burst into tears as I crossed the finishing line...when the lady put the medal over my head...and again when I hugged my mum. Strangely, I think the strongest emotion was relief!

I'm so pleased that I managed to complete the full 26.2 miles without walking and to have raised over £3k for CWC has made every ache and pain worth it but, most of all, I like to think my dad would have been proud of me.”

Not only did Ellie finish the marathon in a very respectable time, but through the support of family, friends and work colleagues has raised an amazing £3,314.17 for Coping with Cancer. This wonderful amount of money (which includes the all important Gift Aid) will be used to help support the many hundreds of cancer patients, their carers and family members who come to Helen Webb House and our drop-in groups around the county.

If you would still like to make a donation, Ellie’s fundraising page is live at Virgin Money Giving until 17^th June 2011 – please go to:

www.virginmoneygiving.com/eleanorridge

Well done!

Candis Magazine Offer

Tue, 15 Mar 2011

Next time you’re at Helen Webb House, please take a FREE copy of Candis Magazine home with you (from reception - subject to availability!) If you enjoy it, why not subscribe using the special card inside - Coping with Cancer will receive a donation of £15.00 for each subscription taken out.

Candis is a national subscription magazine with a circulation of 254,420 (ABC Jan –Jun 2010). The handbag sized magazine is packed with interesting, informative, practical, fun and engaging features that cover everything that is important to women and their families.

As well as in-depth celebrity interviews, it includes cutting edge health reports, the best consumer advice and over £8,000 worth of giveaways and competitions with great prizes up for grabs every month. Candis also gives money every year to a number of health charities and has given over £53 million to date.

Candis attracts people with an interest in family health, travel, home life, charities, cooking, gardening, and crafts amongst other topics.

Curry and Quiz Night Raises Funds

Tue, 15 Mar 2011

Coping with Cancer would like to thank Sheila Merriman for choosing to support our charity at her Curry and Quiz Night at Aspects, Enderby on Tuesday 1st March. Over 100 friends and family members packed the restaurant.

In Sheila’s own words: “I lost my husband, Tony, to bowel cancer four years ago after a three year battle with the disease. He was only 41 when he passed away leaving myself then aged 41, our 13 year old son Chris and 15 year old daughter Hannah. He asked me to raise money for charity in his memory when he was gone. This was his request so that is what I do.

Every year, near to the anniversary of his death I hold a quiz and curry night at Aspects Restaurant in Enderby. This not only raises substantial amounts of money for charity every year but also keeps me very busy around a very difficult time.

A dear friend of ours is currently receiving support from Coping with Cancer, helping her and her husband through a tough time. She asked if I would support this wonderful charity at this years quiz night. As a result £1000 was raised for Coping with Cancer on the night and donations are still coming in. Many thanks to all who attended and made the evening an enjoyable success.

To date I have raised £10, 449.85 for different charities in memory of my late husband Tony and intend to carry on for as long as I can.”

30th Anniversary Sweet Pea seeds on sale now!

Mon, 28 Feb 2011

Join in our 30th Anniversary celebrations by growing your own Sweet Peas, the traditional 30th anniversary flower. Priced at just £1.50 per packet, all proceeds will help us provide practical and emotional support to local people affected by cancer.

Seeds are available from Helen Webb House and at selected Coping with Cancer events. You can also buy them online here.

Coping with Cancer Benefits from Woodlands Garden Centre

Mon, 21 Feb 2011

On 14th February, staff at Woodlands Garden Centre and Nursery presented Coping with Cancer with a cheque for more than £4,000. The staff at the centre on Ashby Road in Stapleton, near Hinckley, along with staff and volunteers from Coping with Cancer, raised the funds through various activities throughout 2010.

Natalie Geary, Operations Manager at the garden centre, said: “Coping with Cancer is a charity that is well supported by the local community and we were keen to raise money for such a worthy cause. We presented the charity with a cheque for £4,426.49 and would like to thank all our customers for their generosity throughout the year. This is the first year we have supported the charity, so we were delighted with this excellent response.”

Jane Hagreen, Fundraiser for Coping with Cancer, said: “We have been delighted by the amount of money that has been raised by the Woodlands staff and through the generosity of their customers during the past year. Coping with Cancer greatly relies on enthusiastic support from local businesses and the money will be used to help fund the free services we offer to local cancer patients, their families and carers in Leicestershire and Rutland.”

(Front right) Jane Hagreen, Fundraiser for Coping with Cancer with members of staff from Woodlands Nursery & Garden Centre (back from left to right) Dianne Dennis, Customer Service Assistant, Darren Stevens, Sundries Manager, Brenda Pope, Customer Service Assistant, (front from left to right) Natalie Geary, Operations Manager and Claire Rose-Jones, Receptionist.

Saladworks Knights

Wed, 16 Feb 2011

Tacking the Samworth Charity Challenge for Coping with Cancer

On 21st May 2011, a team of intrepid ‘Knights’ from Saladworks, based in Leicester Forest East, will take on the Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge. Led by Saladworks Engineer Martin James (a young 47!), the team also includes Team Leader Kamil Michniewicz (the youngster at 25) and stock controllers Krzysztof Nagorski and Pawel Sieczka.

Aiming to raise a minimum of £2000 for Coping with Cancer, the Challenge has two levels, Tough and Super Tough. Undaunted, the Knights have entered the Super Tough Challenge and this is how Martin describes it:

“We are entering the Super Tough challenge (I may live to regret this). The Super Tough is made up of 3 parts, 15km walk/run, 45km off road bike ride and a 5km in a kayak. There is also a bit of coaststeering thrown in for good measure. Oh did I mention that this will all happen in 7 hours. I think I could just about cope with 7 days at the moment but the whole team has now started training.”

Thirty nine teams from around the country (all suppliers or connected with the Samworth Brothers) will be battling it out over two weekends at a secret location on the South West Coast to see who comes out on top. The brief is described as:

“In order to succeed you must assemble a crack team of four daring individuals who are capable of working well as a unit and who thrive on challenge of any sort. Will power, humour, and the ability to think under pressure are all essential character traits for your team.”

We are very grateful for the Saladwork Knights choosing to support Coping with Cancer and wish them all the best with their fundraising efforts – keep an eye on our website for updates on their progress!

For details about the Samworth Brothers Charity Challenge 2011 please go to: http://www.endurancelife.com/samworth.asp?tab=731

Chicken for Charity Night at Nando's

Tue, 08 Feb 2011

Monday 31st January

£2,170!

That’s the amazing figure that was raised by the 70 guests at the Nando’s Chicken for Charity Night. Organised by Restaurant Manager Laura Totten as part of the company’s nationwide initiative to support local organisations, this particular event was in support of Coping with Cancer’s Youth Group, to help provide valuable funds to enable the young people aged 14-25 years who have had or are being treated for a cancer to go out on trips to get away from the hospital and home and to enjoy pizza nights held at Helen Webb House.

The evening kicked off with everyone enjoying a delicious two-course meal cooked by the Nando’s staff, who had generously donated their time for free on the night. Local magician, Dave Vegas, provided table to table entertainment with his dazzling array of close up card tricks and mind-reading feats. The auction was compèred by comedian David Morgan, who, with the help of some eager audience participation got the bidding into full-swing. Top of the list of items was an overnight stay at boutique hotel MaiYango, signed prints and the services of a local carpet-fitter and choice of carpet!! David also oversaw the raffle draw, the prizes again were kindly donated by local companies.

The evening rounded-off with a demonstration of salsa dancing, lucky dip and selling of delectable cup-cakes, which were donated by Esther from Retro Sugar.

As one guest said “absolutely brilliant night, chicken, salsa dancing and raising money for charity…what more could I ask for on a cold January night!!”. Our thanks go to Laura, Faye and all the staff at Nando’s for all their hard work on the night.

http://www.nandos.co.uk/

http://www.dave-vegas.com/

http://thisisdavid.com/

http://www.retrosugar.co.uk/

Great Food Leicestershire and Rutland Supports THIRTYfor30 Challenge

Tue, 01 Feb 2011

Great Food Leicestershire & Rutland is a bi-monthly magazine all about local food, drink and much more besides. It celebrates the area’s best produce, tells the stories of the people who bring it to your plates/glasses, and offers plenty of seasonal, locally-focused recipes. Within its pages you’ll also find local pub and restaurant reviews, local food news and much more, all laid out beautifully, often using illustrations by local artists.

Great Food is a proud supporter of our THIRTYfor30 Challenge. They’ll be supporting us with publicity for the challenge, and, for a limited time only, £3 for every subscription taken out will be donated to Coping with Cancer.

The price for a one year subscription is just £15, and between now and April 30th 2011, we’ll receive £3. Great Food is bi-monthly, so you’ll receive six issues of direct to your door. For more information, or to subscribe to this fantastic local magazine and raise funds for Coping with Cancer, visit www.greatfoodleics.co.uk

New Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) Support Group at Coping with Cancer

Mon, 31 Jan 2011

From February 2011, Coping with Cancer will be hosting the new East Midlands Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) Support Group, organised by Leukaemia Care. The group will take place on the fourth Thursday every month, alternating between Leicester and Nottingham, from 7.00pm - 9.00pm

The first meeting of the group is at Helen Webb House on Thursday 24th February at 7.00pm, and will take place here every other month. On the months in between, the group will meet at the Nottingham University Hospital Campus.

For more information please contact Leukaemia CARE on freephone 08088 010 444 or email care@leukaemiacare.org.uk

Benefits Advice Surgery for Older People

Fri, 21 Jan 2011

We’ve teamed up with Age Concern Leicestershire and Rutland to offer a new benefits advice surgery for older people affected by cancer.

Individual appointments are available with Age Concern’s Carol Tattersall for those aged 50 and over. You can:

Get advice about money matters
Find out about your entitlement to benefits
Get practical help with filling in forms
Find out about the other services on offer from Age Concern

The surgery will run on the first Tuesday every month, from 9.00am – 12.00 noon, at Helen Webb House.

For more information or to book an appointment, call Coping with Cancer on 0116 223 0055 or email info@c-w-c.org.uk

Paresh's Kilimanjaro Climb

Thu, 20 Jan 2011

“Awesome”and “Majestic” were just two words that Paresh used to sum up his ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Confident that his extreme weather clothing would stand up to the harsh environment of Mount Kilimanjaro (having tested it at minus 8 degrees one chilly night in Leicester!) – the question was more surviving the physical effects of altitude on his body. Fatigue was a major issue, but fortunately Paresh did not suffer acute altitude sickness, dehydration was also a problem due to drinking water freezing in his bottles. Sadly one of Paresh’s group of 4 friends did not make the final ‘push’, but everyone else battled valiantly on.

The final two ascent days were extremely punishing. Walking from 8am through to 3pm, the climbers were given a short while to sleep and feed, before being woken in readiness for the summit ascent at Midnight. Rewarded by a full moon, it was a non-stop 9 hour climb to the top. It had to be non-stop due to the cold, resting apart from short breaks would mean a drop in body temperature, which could have dire consequences.

At 9am on Wednesday 22nd December, Paresh, accompanied by Coping with Cancer’s Melvin the Mouse, reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Triumphantly, Paresh called his son Ravi from the summit (a clear mobile signal – can you believe it!) whose successful battle against Leukaemia had inspired him to make the trip. A mere 15 minutes was spent at the top, then it was a 6 hour walk to a camp at the bottom of a steep scree slope for an hours lunch break before another 3-4 hours march back to base camp, arriving back at 8pm at night.

Once safely back down, Paresh and friends flew to Dar-Es-Salem for a few days welcome rest and recuperation. Reunited with his family on the 29th December, a great New Year’s Eve celebration took place. Paresh has now pledged to climb Mount Kilimanjaro again with his son, Ravi, who was eager to climb with his dad this time round.

Through his fundraising efforts and with the support of family, friends and colleagues, Paresh has raised (to date) an amazing £2458 (plus gift aid where possible). We would like to send our deep gratitude to Paresh for this wonderful donation, which will help support local cancer patients, their families and carers in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Sam’s Dabblers Craft Group begins in February

Wed, 12 Jan 2011

Coping with Cancer is always looking for additional ways that we can support those affected by cancer. The latest addition to our support groups and activities calendar is ‘Sam’s Dabblers’, a craft group for anyone affected by cancer.

With a variety of crafts and activities on offer, we hope to provide an opportunity to explore and show your creativity and to try your hand at a new or former interest. Involvement in an art of craft project can help to fill free or leisure time and serve as a meaningful outlet for emotions.

Our craft group is run by Sam Court. Sam is a very talented designer and craftsperson with an infectious enthusiasm for creativity. Her vision is to introduce a sense of play into the Coping with Cancer family of support groups. Sam wishes to give you the chance to express your feelings through her craft sessions. The sessions are open to all regardless of artistic talent, just turn up and have a go.

There is a minimal donation of £1.50 per session to contribute towards the cost of materials and refreshments.

For more information, contact Jo Swatland on 0116 223 0055, email jo.swatland@c-w-c.org.uk, or click here.

Can you help? Appeal for craft materials

Mon, 10 Jan 2011

Our new craft group begins in February, providing a creative support group for anyone affected by cancer. To make the group a success, we are looking for donations of the following materials. If you can help, please leave donations at reception at Helen Webb House, or contact Jo Swatland on 0116 223 0055, email jo.swatland@c-w-c.org.uk

Aluminum cans
An iron
Aprons
Balloons
Beads
Beading Thread
Blue tack
Buttons
Cellotape
Cotton wool
Embroidery thread
Fabric dyes
Fabric pens and fabric paints
Feathers - coloured
Felt
Flour
Glue
Henna paste
J-cloths
Jewellery wire
Knitting needles
Laminating sheets
Magazines
Material suitable for patchwork quilts
Nail varnish
Nail varnish remover
Newspapers
Origami paper
Paint pots and brushes
Paper and card
Beads
Pencils
Pens
Pins and drawing pins
Plain white t shirts
Plastic storage boxes
Pliers
Ribbons
Rubber bands
Rubber gloves
Safety pins
Scissors
Sequins
Sewing machines
Sewing needles
Shells
Stencils
String
Tape measures
Tissue paper
Varnish remover
Wadding
Washing up liquid
Wipe-clean table cloths
Wool

We also need, for our storage area:

Flooring – laminate or vinyl
Paint (damp proof and emulsion)
Shelves

Christmas Raffle Breaks a Record!

Thu, 06 Jan 2011

Our Christmas raffle broke all previous records and raised a fantastic £1607! The draw for the fifteen prizes took place at our Christmas party on 15th December.

We would like to thank everyone who bought tickets and made the raffle so successful. Our thanks also go to those who generously donated prizes for the draw, including Next plc, Pizza Express St Martin’s Square, and the clients and volunteers who provided goodies!

Look out for tickets for our Grand 30th Anniversary raffle this summer, where more fantastic prizes will be up for grabs.

Can Collections End The Year on a High!

Thu, 06 Jan 2011

We would like to thank all of the Christmas shoppers who generously donated to our can collections in the run up to Christmas.

On the 10th and 16th December, we were collecting at Woodlands Garden Centre and Nursery and raised £426.09. Thanks to the staff at Woodlands and all of our volunteers who helped with the collection.

Our long standing supporters, the Yataheehs, manned three collections in the run-up to Christmas. On 4th and 5th December, £500.36 was collected at Syston Tesco. The following weekend, a fantastic £1105.80 was collected at Thurmaston Asda, and finally on 18th and 19th December, a further £793.28 was collected at Hamilton Tesco. Thanks to the Yataheehs and the staff at all of the supermarkets that supported us.

If you can help with a can collection in 2011, please contact Jane Hagreen on 0116 223 0055 or email jane.hagreen@c-w-c.org.uk.

Asha Loughborough launches in February

Thu, 06 Jan 2011

Following the success of our Asha Women’s Group and Shakti Men’s Support Group in Leicester, we are pleased to announce that a new support group for those whose first language is not English, Asha Loughborough, will begin in February.

The Asha Loughborough group has been specifically set up to help support anyone affected by cancer, where English is not their first language. The group is open to cancer patients, their families and carers.

The group aims to reduce the feeling of isolation sometimes felt by those affected by cancer. The group is open to men and women from different ethnic communities, speaking different languages and from different cultures, coming together for support united by a cancer diagnosis.

Activities include yoga, henna, arts and crafts, complementary therapies, music and games.

The group will run on alternate Wednesdays, from 2.00pm – 4.00pm, at the Shree Ram Krishna Community Centre on Alfred Street in Loughborough. The first group will be on Wednesday 2^nd February.

For more information, please contact Usha Sidhpara on 0116 223 0055 (language line 0116 223 0020) or email usha.sidhpara@c-w-c.org.uk

New Lymphoma Support Group at Coping with Cancer

Mon, 13 Dec 2010

From January 2011, Coping with Cancer will be hosting the new Leicestershire and Rutland Lymphoma Support Group, organised by the Lymphoma Association.

If you have been affected by Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and would like to meet with other people who have experienced lymphoma or are living with the condition, why not come and join us? Our friendly and informal group will give a warm welcome to patients, partners, family members and friends.

Meetings are held from 7.00pm – 8.30pm on the third Thursday of every month, at Coping with Cancer, Helen Webb House, 35 Westleigh Road, Leicester LE3 0HH. The first meeting at Coping with Cancer will be Thursday 20th January 2011.

For more information, please contact:
Bernard: 01858 545694 or 07944 523998 (m)
Charlie: 01162 416384 or 07875 288663 (m)
or
Lynda Beck, Lymphoma Clinical Nurse Specialist, Leicester Royal Infirmary, 0116 258 5738

For more information about the Lymphoma Association, visit www.lymphomas.org.uk

Christmas Supper with the Psychics

Fri, 10 Dec 2010

Thursday 2nd December was another busy evening at Helen Webb House, as over 60 people enjoyed one of our popular psychic evenings, undaunted by the rather chilly weather conditions outside.

Eleven mediums offered a variety of readings to groups of six sat at the tables, with everyone guaranteed at least one reading on the night and some having two or three. Each medium, whether they offered for example tarot cards, or clairvoyance, sat with his or her group for around 30 minutes, before moving on to a different table. Everyone had a very enjoyable night and a wonderful £617.00 was raised for Coping with Cancer.

For those wishing to have individual readings in a more private setting, keep Saturday 12th March free in your diary, as our first drop-in psychic afternoon of 2011 is taking place at Helen Webb House (for more details keep an eye on our website).

Our thanks, as always, go to Ros and Dave from the Yataheehs for organising the mediums and for their fantastic support throughout the year, and to Debbie and Jane from Coping with Cancer for putting on such a lovely buffet for everyone attending.

The Great Loughborough Santa Fun Run

Mon, 06 Dec 2010

Despite the icy conditions on the streets of Loughborough, the annual Great Santa Fun Run went ahead on Sunday 5th December.

13 runners and walkers (and one dog!) from team ‘Coping with Cancer’ braved the slippery pavements to complete the 5km route, along with another 1,000 Santas. The elite runners still made light work of the conditions, but most made it round the circuit, which started and finished at Loughborough University, in around 40 minutes.

Credit goes to the Loughborough Rotary Club for organising another great run, which was very well marshalled on the day. Our thanks go to everyone who made up the Coping with Cancer team:

Crystal Andrade, Thomas Elkington, Craig Goodwin, Sharron Gowdridge, Ellie Ridge, Anne Court, Jane Hagreen, Diane Bamkin, Kalv Garcha, Debbie Varnfield, Ashley Gamble (with Rupert the dog), Toir Broughton and friend George.

All the sponsorship money raised by the team will now be sent to the organisers, who collect it all together, apply gift aid where possible and (fingers crossed) give a top up donation! We will announce the amount raised towards the end of February 2011.

The date for the 2011 Santa Fun Run will be confirmed in the Summer or Autumn edition of Coping with Cancer’s newsletter, but usually it is the first Sunday in December (so make a provisional note now!).

Festive Bottle Tombola at Woodlands

Mon, 06 Dec 2010

Friday 3rd December 2010

On a cold and icy day at Woodlands Garden Centre & Nursery, Coping with Cancer staff were warm and snug near the restaurant, tempting the shoppers to ‘have a go’ on our bottle tombola.

The tombola raised £140 on the day, plus there were sales of raffle tickets for our Christmas draw and packets of sweet pea seeds, which are now available to buy at Woodlands and Helen Webb House as part of our 30th Anniversary celebrations.

Probation's Got Talent

Fri, 26 Nov 2010

Forget Britain’s got Talent – on Friday 19^th November, the staff of Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust (LRPT) showed they’re brimming with talent at their second annual Probation’s Got Talent evening. One of the highlights of their charity year so far, the Trust’s take on the popular TV show featured 12 acts from around their sites and offices across the city, county and Rutland.

LRPT judges Sean Reynolds, Karen Pollard and Chris Brotherton were there to dish out the praise and the criticism (boo!) helped along by a crowd of over 150 at the Y Theatre, all sporting flashing wands and giant foam ‘boo’ hands. Compères Carrie Peters and Bob Bearne were there to keep the audience under control and support the acts on stage. Chief Executive, Trevor Worsfield also got stuck in and entertained the audience with his song and piano routine.

The winners on the night were:

3^rd place: the Fosse Singers Choir, featuring 5 members of the LRPT singing “Baby its Cold Outside”

2^nd place: Jenna McGann and the DT’s, from the Criminal Justice Drugs Team, singing “Son of a Preacher Man

1^st Place and overall winner: Simon Doran, Senior Probation Officer, with his version of the Johnny Cash classic “I’ve been everywhere man” called “I’ve worked everywhere man” and his working life at LRPT!

It was a great night, and along with sales from the raffle, wands and boo hands, a cheque for £2,171.90 was presented to Ashley Gamble, Charity Manager by Bob and Carrie. Thank you for everyone at the LRPT for all your hard work in putting on the show and to all the staff and friends who supported us on the night.

Photos courtesy Jonathan Briggs, with thanks

Diwali and Eid Dinner & Dance

Mon, 22 Nov 2010

On Sunday 14th November, our sell-out Diwali and Eid Dinner & Dance made for a crowded hall at Helen Webb House. Party-goers enjoyed a Bollywood Karaoke, delicious Indian meal and a live performance from Kulbinder Rai. After the draw for our fantastic raffle, the evening closed with an Indian disco and plenty of dancing.

Our thanks go to Kulbinder, Jyotiben Pancholi and friends, Manjit Singh and Naren Pandya, as well as all of the staff and volunteers who helped to organise the evening, which raised a fantastic £659.85 for Coping with Cancer.

Debenham's Fashion Show and Shopping Evening Supports Coping with Cancer

Mon, 22 Nov 2010

It was another busy night at Debenhams, Highcross Leicester on 15th November. Over 120 ladies (and a couple of men!) filled the restaurant area, to watch a fashion show, staged by the Personal Shopping Team, and led by Manager Rose Sterling. New ideas for winter casual and formal clothing, plus fabulous evening wear were on display on the cat-walk, modelled by members of the team, alongside other staff members and friends.

Once again Coping with Cancer was privileged to be chosen by the Personal Shopping Team to benefit from their raffle on the night, with prizes generously donated by Clarins, Debenhams, Urban Pie and Barcelo Hinckley Island Hotel. £218 was raised from the raffle – thank you to everyone who attended and bought tickets on the night.

For more details regarding Debenhams Personal Shopping Service please call 0116 2488932.

Navratri Celebrations Raise Funds for Coping with Cancer

Thu, 18 Nov 2010

Over 3,000 gathered to celebrate the festival of Navratri at the Kapital Venue in Leicester. The fun-filled extravaganza took place between October 8th and 15th, uniting members from the community both young and old.

The event is organised every year by Jai Promotions in conjunction with Ekta Arts, and this year featured world renowned instrumentalist Sandeep Raval alongside top Gujarati singers from India. This year the event organisers chose to support Coping with Cancer, and raised around £1000.

Organiser Pravin Majithia, whose wife volunteers with Coping with Cancer said: “We are thrilled to have been able to raise funds for the charity through the auspicious occasion of Navratri and would like to continue to offer our support for the good cause.”

Traditionally the festival is celebrated over nine nights and is concluded on the tenth night, which is known as Vijyadasmi.

Members of the Hindu community celebrate the occasion by participating in raas garba and dandia raas (traditional Indian stick dancing) alongside offering prayers and prashad (religious food offerings)

Leicester city in particular has one of the biggest celebrations across the country attracting more than 50,000 people throughout the festivals duration which is celebrated across 30 different venues in the county.

We would like to thank Pravin and the organisers of the celebrations for choosing to support Coping with Cancer, and our staff and volunteers who helped at the event.

Photo courtesy Jamini Meghani, with thanks

First Christmas Fayre a Big Success

Thu, 18 Nov 2010

Our first ever Christmas Fayre was a resounding success. Taking place on the 13th November, we were blessed by great weather and wonderful support from clients, volunteers and local residents. A fantastic £526.80 was raised on the day.

Featuring plants, cosmetics, jewellery, Christmas cards, kid’s crafts and much more, visitors were able to get a head start on their Christmas shopping and then sit down and relax with a delicious home made cake.

Thank you to our stall holders for offering a fantastic array of gifts and treats, to Woodlands Nursery and Garden Centre for donating the beautiful Poinsettias and Cyclamens and to everyone who made and donated cakes, manned stalls and sold raffle tickets.

Charity Ball at Shearsby Bath

Mon, 15 Nov 2010

Family and friends of Lucy Webb and Julie Chaplin came out in force on the 2nd October to support their second charity ball at the Shearsby Bath Hotel, which this year was held in aid of Coping with Cancer and Cancer Research UK.

Over 200 guests packed the marquee and were greeted with a glass of champagne on arrival and tucked into a delicious 3-course meal. Compère for the evening was Drag Queen Tracy Lee Collins, a Britain’s Got Talent Finalist in 2008, who kept guests entertained with her own brand of humour! The raffle, plus silent and ‘noisy’ auctions were generously supported by everyone in attendance, and once the final count-up had taken place a cheque for £2,000 was presented to Ashley Gamble at our Christmas Fayre on 13th November.

Thank you to Lucy and Julie for all your hard work in organising the ball and to everyone who supported it – we are very grateful for your wonderful donation.

Pictured (L-R) Julie Chaplin, Jeff Chaplin and Lucy Webb present Ashley gamble with their cheque for £2000

Coping with Cancer Launches THIRTYfor30 Challenge

Thu, 11 Nov 2010

Coping with Cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland today launches its THIRTYfor30 Challenge.

Coping with Cancer celebrates its 30th Anniversary in 2011 and over the next 12 months we are appealing to local companies and organisations to take part in our THIRTYfor30 Challenge and each raise £5,000 to help us reach our £150,000 target.

Spokesperson Jo Swatland says “The challenge will run for the next year and we are urging local companies and organisations to take part. From raising money to volunteering your time, sponsoring our events or donating products and services, there are lots of ways to get involved and everything you do will count towards your £5,000 target.

We have some fabulous fun ways for you to raise money including hiring Melvin the Mouse, joining our BIG Coffee Break, helping us with a venue for our 30th Anniversary Ball or preparing for our picnic in the park."

One in three people will develop cancer during their lives. Being one of our fab 30 is a fun way for companies to help those affected in their local community. Taking up the challenge will also help a company to promote team spirit and boost staff morale, help staff to develop new skills, meet your social responsibility and add to the work life balance of your employees.

The money raised will help us provide new drop in complementary therapy groups, set up local support groups, provide outreach counselling sessions, recruit and train new volunteers who provide practical and emotional support in people’s homes, and so much more.

If you would like to take part in the THIRTYfor30 Challenge then please contact Jo Swatland and she will send out a full fundraising pack and information to you. You can also find full details of the challenge and how to take part by visiting the THIRTYfor30 Challenge pages of our website.

Curry Night raises £600

Wed, 10 Nov 2010

A great night was had by everyone at the Cuisine of India, Kelmarsh Avenue, Wigston on the 8th November. Hosted by Coping with Cancer and Mr Syed Rhaman, owner of the restaurant, over 65 guests tucked into a splendid 3-course buffet and had a bit of fun with our curry quiz and raffle. A special mention goes to Coping with Cancer supporter Jeff Chaplin who rallied round many friends and family to sell 50 tickets for this event – thanks Jeff!

“I had a great time at the curry night the atmosphere was lovely and the food was excellent. I even won on the raffle!” Catherine

A fantastic £623.60 was raised, so thanks to everyone who came along.

Magical Night at the Enchanted Faery Ball

Mon, 08 Nov 2010

There was magic in the air when faeries were seen in Melton town centre on Saturday 30th October. More colourful than their Halloween compatriots, they were all headed to the Enchanted Faery Ball. Organised by local ‘faeries’ and businesswomen, Lesley Morgan and Nicki Squires, the Faery Ball started in 2009 and was an instant success; an amazing spectacle of dance, music, juggling, stilt walking, faeries, goblins, wizards and witches - this year’s Faery Ball did not disappoint!

It was another wonderful night in Melton Mowbray. Over 160 adults and children alike, all dressed in the most colourful, eye-catching outfits, took to the floor at the Working Men’s Club to dance the night away to Celtic bands Endless Knott and Kangeroo Moon. Performers from Bill Brookman Productions entertained guests with their statue displays, enormous bubbles and stilt walking. The raffle on the night was generously supported by many companies and individuals from the local area.

Our thanks go to Lesley and Nicki for all their hard work in organising the ball and once again for choosing to support Coping with Cancer. Over £800 was raised on the night, which will help fund our Time Out: Melton Mowbray group, which meets every first and third Tuesday in the month at the Samworth Centre on Burton Street, Melton Mowbray.

Bottom photo courtesy of John Routledge

Coffee Morning at North Luffenham

Tue, 26 Oct 2010

We would like to thank Helen Reilly of North Luffenham for organising a coffee morning in support of Coping with Cancer at her home on 26th October and raising £200. In her recent letter Helen said “The morning was a great success – my sister and I spent the day before baking and preparing, many of my neighbours in the village donated preserves and pickles, friends and family bought items to sell and raffle”. Helen also organised for House of Colour, Neals Yard Organics and Phoenix Cards to be at the Coffee Morning to add more retail choice to the event. A great morning was had by all.

If you're thinking about organising a coffee morning in support of Coping with Cancer, why not take part in our BIG Coffee Break?

Shelley Runs the Mablethorpe Half Marathon

Mon, 25 Oct 2010

On Sunday 3rd October, Shelley Saunt took part in the Mablethorpe Half Marathon to raise funds for Coping with Cancer. Shelley works for the Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust, who have chosen Coping with Cancer as their Charity of the Year for 2010/11.

In Shelley's own words...

"I DID IT!!!!!! 2 hours 40 minutes, and that included running in torrential rain, gale force winds, being sand blasted and a short toilet break - so I’m very happy with my time. It was THE hardest thing I have ever done....I’m even thinking worse than childbirth (and that was awful!!!). I ran 99% of the race stopping just to walk up 2 steep slopes on & off the sea front, and I struggled to walk these!! By that stage my legs were total jellified!

Looking at the donations so far, topped up with money raised at a car-boot sale, I've raised over £500. The Prison Service Charity (I work for the Prison Service) will match fund this, so that will be a coll £1000 - and I'm still planning a cake sale and another car-boot!

I would like to say thank you for all your support, it really has been invaluable to me and I hope I can get another couple of hundred pounds as it really is a fantastic charity."

We would like to thank Shelley for all her determination!

Katie takes on the Three Peaks Challenge!

Mon, 18 Oct 2010

On the 4th July this year, Katie Barnett took part in the Three Peaks Challenge through her employers, the Coventry Building Society. About the challenge, Katie said "In November 2008 my dad was taken ill and diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. I asked permission to raise money for a personal charity and raised £190 for Lymphoma and Leukaemia Research and £400 for Coping with Cancer.

The National Three Peaks Challenge is a mountain-endurance challenge in Great Britain, in which participants attempt to climb the highest peaks of each of the island's three countries. The highest peaks in Scotland (Ben Nevis - 1343m), England (Scafell Pike - 978m) and Wales (Snowdon - 1085m) all within 24 hours - this includes driving to all peaks totalling 10 hours in itself!

We set off for Ben Nevis from Coventry at 7am in the mini bus arriving at 5pm in Scotland ready to start the challenge. I managed to complete Ben Nevis in five and a half hours, in rainy and cold conditions - there was even snow at the peak! We then travelled through the night and early hours to Scafell Pike, trying to sleep on the cramped mini bus for a few hours in between!

Once at Scafell Pike we set off about 10 am and I completed the mountain in four and a half hours. We had lost a few members of the team at this point due to tiredness and injuries. The starting conditions for Scafell seemed nice, but towards the top we had warnings to turn around due to conditions, which we ignored! Once we got to the top we understood why - with 70-80mph winds we had to climb on all fours and leave our walking sticks behind! Due to the rain we could hardly see to navigate, it was like hail on our faces! However we conquered it, and couldn't get down quick enough! Finally we headed for Snowdon.

It was a fantastic challenge which certainly pushed me mentally and physically but all the training pulled off!"

We'd like to thank Katie for her tremendous efforts in conquering the Three Peak Challenge and raising money for Coping with Cancer.

Musical evening raises £900 for Coping with Cancer

Wed, 06 Oct 2010

A highly successful musical evening was held on the 24th September, raising £900 for Coping with Cancer’s Prostate Cancer Support Group. Organised by members of the group, the event was held at Pillings Lock Marina Boat House Café, and was very well attended.

The audience was entertained by two groups. The French Connection, a barbershop quartet was led by support group member Mick Barnacle, then followed by Operatic Duo Peter and Marilyn. The group would like to pass on their sincere thanks for their help and support, without which the event could not have taken place.

During the interval, some 15 prizes were raffled, all donated by local companies and friends. Lesley Brigstock arranged the ticket sales and raised £310 on the night, with a further £90 raised by the auction of a framed cross stitch montage and hand crocheted blanket.

The members of the Prostate Cancer Support Group would like to offer their thanks to everyone who attended, and also those who gave their help so freely.

Pictured are the Leicestershire and Rutland Prostate Cancer Support Group presenting their cheque for £900.

Loughborough Ladies Circle's Charity of the Year

Mon, 27 Sep 2010

Loughborough Ladies Circle chose Coping with Cancer as their charity of the year for
2009/10, and Susan Grimsey, the chair of the circle, came along to our Family Fun Day on
18th September to present us with a cheque for £897.83. Our thanks to all the ladies for your fundraising efforts over the year.

Pictured is Susan Grimsey presenting Coping with Cancer's Jane Hagreen with the Ladies Circle's cheque.

Time Out: Birstall launches

Tue, 07 Sep 2010

‘Time Out: Birstall’ is a free support group for anyone affected by cancer – patients, their carers and families – with the added benefit of complementary therapies. People attending the group can enjoy a free complementary therapy treatment in a calm, relaxing atmosphere, and chat to other patients and carers over refreshments.

The group will take place at Birstall Village Hall, Birstall Road, Birstall, on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, from 1.30 pm – 4.00 pm. The first group will meet on Wednesday 8^th September. The group is open to anyone affected by cancer, and as well as Birstall residents we are hoping to support people from the surrounding area – north Leicester, Thurmaston, Syston, Anstey, Rothley and beyond.

This new initiative is a partnership between Coping with Cancer in Leicestershire and Rutland, a local, independent charity that has been supporting cancer patients for almost 30 years, and Birstall BAGS, a local group that raises funds to support local cancer services. The group will be a new addition to Coping with Cancer’s existing popular Time Out groups that take place in Hinckley, Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray and Leicester. For more information about the group, please call Coping with Cancer on 0116 223 0055 or email timeout@c-w-c.org.uk.

Coping with Cancer are also looking for volunteers to help make the group a success. If you are a qualified complementary therapist or would like to support the group by chatting to patients and carers and preparing refreshments, and can spare a few hours once a fortnight or month on a Wednesday afternoon, please call Coping with Cancer on 0116 223 0055 or email volunteer@c-w-c.org.uk.

Birstall BAGS (Breast Awareness Group) is a local fundraising group founded in 1998. Originally focused on raising money to support local breast cancer services, to reflect the interest and support of the local Birstall community, Birstall BAGS now seeks to be inclusive of all cancers.

The group welcome villagers to support the events they organise each year within the local community. For more information please visit www.birstallbags.co.uk