Awareness month approaching for charity

A CHARITY in Crow Country is calling on local businesses to “paint Royston pink” next month.

The North Hertfordshire and South Cambridgeshire branch of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity are to raise awareness for the illness by asking local businesses to host one of their pin boxes throughout October, which is breast cancer awareness month.

It is the first time the charity has held this particular event, which can involve anything businesses or individuals like in order to raise money.

Group treasurer Hayley McKenzie said: “You name it, people have tried it in order to raise money. Nationally people have done pink pamper evenings, cake sales at work, sporting events and raffles.

“We have been a local group for about five years now and have always run our own events through October, but this is the first time we have approached local businesses to help us out.”

Mrs McKenzie claims the charity is a worthy cause for funds as they don’t just focus on one area of breast cancer research.

“Breakthrough does a lot of medical research into what causes breast cancer, work on future cures for breast cancer, prevention, and campaigning for awareness. They come at it from many different angles.”

When her grandmother died from breast cancer in 1996, Mrs McKenzie and her mother Val Whyborn, who is group chairman, have been raising money to support sufferers.

“My mum’s mum died of breast cancer after a ten year fight, which was the main reason we started supporting it.

“We have been organising our crocus walks every March, around mother’s day, for eight years in different local venues, and this is the next step in raising more money.”

Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Whyborn will deliver and collect pin boxes and posters to businesses if requested.

For more information or if you would like to get your business involved, call Mrs McKenzie on 01763 241083, or email her at info@crocusevents.co.uk.