Shropshire charity raises £500,000 in five years
More than half a million pounds has been raised by a charity set up in memory of a tragic mother-of-three in less than five years.
The cash has been raised by supporters of Bridgnorth-based Headcase Cancer Trust, which was launched following the death of 40-year-old Becky Speirs in 2010.
The trust, which was set up by Becky's father Andy Johnson and husband Colin Speirs, aims to find a cure for brain tumours, and has set up direct links with two universities to improve research.
Mrs Speirs grew up in Bridgnorth and went to school at Oldbury Wells before moving to Nottingham with her husband and three young children.
The family launched the foundation in October 2010.
and supporters throughout the county have carried out an array of unique and bizarre activities to help the charity reach the milestone.
The trust works with Portsmouth University neuro-oncology department, a centre of excellence for research into curing glioblastoma multiforme brain tumours, which claims more than 5,000 lives in the UK each year.
Tissue samples from Portsmouth are also studied on specialised equipment in Nottingham University, which saves doubling up on high value laboratory equipment.
Mr Johnson, from Middleton Scriven, said fundraising over the past five years had varied from a woman lady swimming the length of Lake Windermere, in the Lake District and a group of cyclists riding across the Pyrenees, to mountains in France to students from Harper Adams University taking part in Yorkshire's Tough Mudder Run.
He said: "Locally funds are coming in on a regular basis from supporters who save their loose change in jam jars for our Small Change for a Big Change campaign.
"Loose change in any quantities can be dropped into any Coinstar machine. There is one in the entrance hall to Sainsbury's in Bridgnorth.
"At the end of May, members of Bridgnorth Musical Theatre Company joined forces with Headcase Cancer Trust to put together a combined team for the Annual Bridgnorth Walk. The two organisations shared equally a total of £1,647.
"The theatre's share will go towards funding next year's production of Fiddler on the Roof, which will be staged at the Bridgnorth Leisure Centre in February.
"Headcase will use its share to fund further scientific work in the search for a cure for brain tumours."
For further information about joining the trust visit headcase.org.uk or contact Mr Johnson on andyj@headcase.org.uk
