Newcastle charity group tops £100,000 milestone

Newcastle charity group tops £100,000 milestone

25 May 2016

THE Newcastle Action Cancer Group has celebrated a huge milestone by raising more than £100,000 for the charity.

Members of the group, who has been raising money in the area since 2004, celebrated their achievement with a special lunch on Thursday with councillor Michael Ruane, chairman of Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

Group Chairman, Alec Frew, thanked the other Group members who help out with the various events, and all the people in the Newcastle area who continue to provide support and encouragement.

Groups are made up entirely of volunteers who dedicate their free time to raise funds for the only charity in Northern Ireland to provide free breast screening for women aged between 40-49 and 70+ outside the NHS age range.   

Action Cancer’s Leigh Chamberlain paid tribute to the members of the Newcastle group.

“We’re proud to say we have some of the best volunteers in the country, and you can see that from this brilliant total,” she said. “It takes a lot of hard work to reach these large targets, and everyone at Action Cancer is so grateful for all the time and effort our volunteers put in. 

“Thank you also to everyone in the greater Newcastle area who continue to make it possible with your generosity.”

Action Cancer offers 1,000 appointments per month and detects an average of five cancers. The service is available from Action Cancer House in Belfast and regionally on board the Big Bus. Last year the charity screened a record 10,000 women. 

The charity also provides counselling and complementary therapy for those people affected by cancer and their loved ones, health promotion, MOT health checks, peer mentoring, life coaching and listening ear services.

For information on joining the Newcastle Action Cancer Group, email community@actioncancer.org or phone 028 9080 3345.