Annual Ladies Breast Care Lunch in Peterborough raises £15,000

Around 250 ladies listen to Breastcare Nurse Specialist Claire Hall at the
annual fund-raising lunch. — Around 250 ladies listen to Breastcare Nurse Specialist Claire Hall at the annual fund-raising lunch.

Post-event donations boosted that total to over £15k.

The event – the brainchild of Carol Collier - has become one of the most popular events in the city’s social calendar.

The inspirational guest speaker was Claire Lomas MBE, who was paralysed following an equestrian fall in 2007 but has gone on to raise over £660,000 for various charities. Her presentation was greeted by a standing ovation.

Celebrity guest Claire Lomas MBE holds a cheque for £14,200 to support
breast cancer services in Peterborough. She is joined by (left to right) event organisers Christine Brown and Carol Collier and Claire Hall of the Breast Care Unit at Peterborough City Hospital. — Celebrity guest Claire Lomas MBE holds a cheque for £14,200 to support breast cancer services in Peterborough. She is joined by (left to right) event organisers Christine Brown and Carol Collier and Claire Hall of the Breast Care Unit at Peterborough City Hospital.

Claire was joined by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire’s Kev Lawrence who oversaw proceedings. Musical entertainment was provided by Strictly Come Dancing singer Lance Ellington and raffle and auction proceeds boosted the coffers to £14,200. Headline sponsors of the event were Buckles Solicitors and Princebuild.

Local barrister Tim Brown was auctioneer.

Claire Hall, Breastcare Nurse Specialist from Peterborough City Hospital Breast Care Unit addressed the audience, stressing the importance of self examination and attending regular screening programmes. Barely 40 per cent of women invited to attend regular mammagrams did so during the COVID lockdowns compared to nearly 80 per cent ordinarily.

Previous fund-raising from the lunch has been used to re-furbish rooms in the unit and purchase vital much-needed equipment.

“This was a fantastic outcome and I just want to thank the generosity of sponsors, attendees, and all those who helped make the event possible,” said Carol. “I was motivated to organise this to say thanks for the care and support I received during my own breast cancer journey a few years ago.

“Every year we have organised this event the response from local ladies and the business community has been both humbling and uplifting.

This is reflected in the generous giving and fund-raising outcome,” she added.