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The team at Move On Sales & Lettings in Branksome is planning a year of fundraising events to support Dorset families suffering financial hardship because of cancer.

The eight-strong Move On team is the latest business to become an official sponsor of The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF).

Sharon Canning, Founder and MD said: “I feel lucky to have watched the DCCF’s amazing work since it started almost 12 years ago, because my mum is one of its founding supporters.

“In recent years, my staff have joined me in attending some of DCCF’s fun events.

“Now, we want to take our support one step further and arrange some of our own events, starting with an open to all Coffee Morning at the stunning LEVEL 8IGHT The Sky Bar on the top floor of the Hilton Bournemouth on Wednesday March 13.

“The event will run from 10am-12.30, and for just £6 entry you will receive a hot drink and delicious slice of cake. There will also be a raffle and all proceeds will go via DCCF to families here in Dorset who are really struggling because of a cancer diagnosis.”

The DCCF was formed in 2012 by three local nurses and has since raised over £700k for cancer patients.

Sharon continued: “I have met many people who have been helped by the DCCF when they needed it most; People who have been able to go on much needed short breaks with their loved ones; people who would have lost their homes if they hadn’t had help to pay their mortgage, and even people who have been helped to pay for basics like petrol and parking, just to get back and forth from their cancer treatment.

“We are really passionate about helping the DCCF because we know the charity’s trustees and supporters work on a voluntary basis and that all the money, we raise will go straight to local people who really need it,” she continued.

“Most of our team have seen loved ones touched by cancer, and some of us have even lost family and friends to cancer. Like DCCF, our company is firmly grounded in the Dorset community, and we want to do all we can to help this small but vital charity help as many families as possible.”

Move On Sales & Lettings has joined Chez Fred, Steele Raymond LLP, Grandeur Properties, Colten Care, Atlas, South West Vehicle Auctions (SWVA) and Swan Productions Ltd in pledging support for the DCCF throughout 2024.

The charity’s manager, Jannine Loveys, said: “There are many families here in Dorset who are facing the added stress of financial worries, on top of the already unbearable burden of a cancer diagnosis – and this is only getting worse as the cost of living continues to rise.

“Move On Sales & Lettings, along with all our supporters, make a real difference to Dorset families who are going through their darkest days, and we are incredibly grateful for their enthusiasm and support.

“We would love to talk to other companies interested in supporting us in any way they can, from a one-off donation, to sponsoring one of our events, or by choosing us as their charity of the year. Everything people do for us, directly helps a local family.”

For information on DCCF and supporting the charity please contact the team via email at: hello@dccf.co.uk by calling: 07849 249250 or via the charity’s website at: www.dccf.co.uk

Family-run vehicle auction house SWVA has been operating since 1971, and recently moved into a one-hectare site with a 12,000 sq ft headquarters building, at Holton Heath.

The company’s Business Development Manager, Jo Legg said: “SWVA wanted to support a charity that makes a positive impact in the community, and The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation perfectly aligns with this.

“DCCF is committed to fundraising to help Dorset people who are facing often extreme hardship because of a cancer diagnosis. Every one of the team at SWVA knows someone who has been affected by cancer. Some of us have lost loved ones to the disease. So, we are all very enthusiastic at the prospect of raising some good funds for DCCF’s work. We hope people will get behind us in our fundraising efforts, so together we can really make a difference.”

Throughout the coming year, SWVA will be organising various fundraising events and initiatives to support the DCCF. These activities will involve SWVA staff, customers, and the wider community.

The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation awards non-repayable grants to help people with cancer to meet expenses such as transport, domestic and household costs and some minor modifications needed in the home.

The charity’s Fundraising Manager Jannine Loveys said: “We are a small but vital charity whose success is driven by the hard work and commitment of our dedicated volunteers, supporters, sponsors and patrons.

“We are thrilled that SWVA has joined our group of supporters and look forward to working with them on some exciting events in the coming year.”

Local football legends Harry Redknapp and Jeff Mostyn are both patrons of the DCCF and help to raise the profile of the valuable work that the charity does.

Harry Redknapp said: “I’m only too pleased to lend my support to the fantastic Dorset Cancer Care Foundation and all the great work they do to help local people. Thank you to all involved in helping to keep this very important charity running for the people of Dorset.”

The DCCF has thanked residents of a Poole care home for gifting more than £1,100 to support its work.

Recent fundraising at Colten Care’s art deco themed Bourne View has featured a quiz night, gala lunches and dinners, games afternoons, raffles and jigsaw sales.

At a party in the Sandbanks sitting room of the Langside Avenue home, DCCF representatives were presented with a giant cheque to mark the culmination of a year of activity involving residents, families, team members, friends and community contacts.

The exact amount raised, £1,142.95, was also spelt out in meringue piped icing on a fruit cake specially baked for the occasion by Colten Care Chefs and sisters Lorna Parsons and Annabell Bryer.

Party guest Irene Whyment, who lives at the home, said: “Everyone has got on board with supporting this most worthy cause and helping local families. The money is definitely going somewhere it’s needed.”

Irene’s comments were echoed by fellow Bourne View resident John Broomfield who added: “Our events have been excellent and very enjoyable and we’ve had a lot of fun.”

To help the appeal, residents went hands-on at a number of events, for example making decorations for a gala, making up goodie bags and helping count the number of chocolate eggs in a jar for a guessing game.

DCCF representatives at the party included Trustee Di Bird and Fundraising Manager Jannine Loveys.

Di said: “We are so grateful to the residents for very kindly choosing us as their main charity to support in the past year.

“Our aim is to raise money in Dorset for people who are suffering financial hardship because of cancer and we rely on donations.

“Our support helps in a whole range of ways. It goes towards the costs of expenses such as transportation, childcare, home modifications, respite care, general household bills and specialised treatment, with the endorsement of qualified practitioners.

“We are the only charity of our kind in Dorset in that we focus on financial help for people living with cancer. So far, we have raised more than £700,000, helping around 800 individuals.”

Di added: “Bourne View is the most amazing home. It’s like a 7-star hotel. The residents are clearly so happy and thrilled with the facilities.”

Gemma Parkin, Bourne View Home Manager, said: “Our residents choose the charities we support and we are proud to have helped DCCF in its vital work this year.”

At the afternoon tea celebration are Dorset Cancer Care Foundation Trustee Di Bird, left, and Bourne View Companionship Team Leader Zoe Rose.

David Harris Wellings from Christchurch has embarked on a charity Slim-athon in support of his wife Paula who is fighting breast cancer.

David, 52, who works as a Maintenance Surveyor for Sovereign Housing Association in Christchurch, aims to shed six stones from his starting weight of 20st 10.5lbs, and is asking people to sponsor him with all proceeds going to the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF).

He explained: “Paula was diagnosed with cancer in July and has now completed five rounds of chemotherapy to shrink a 10cm tumour in her breast. It has been a terrible shock for her and us all, but she is facing it with such strength.

“She is now waiting for a surgery date to undergo a mastectomy and the removal of lymph nodes from under her right arm.

“Before starting chemo she did the Brave the Shave event for Macmillan and raised over £1700 for the charity.

“I just want to show her how much we all love and admire her and as I have wanted to lose weight for ages, I thought I would challenge myself and try to help a local charity at the same time.”

The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation gives financial assistance to local cancer patients, many of whom are facing extreme hardship. DCCF non-repayable grants can meet the cost of accommodation and bills, specialist equipment, childcare, and counselling.

In the past year, the charity has seen calls for its assistance double due to the cost-of-living crisis.

David said: “It’s a great charity doing such important work and if I can raise some money for them, plus lose weight and be healthier for the future, then everyone wins.”

Assisted Living Manager Paula, 48, said she is proud of her husband.

“Cancer is frightening and it’s a scary time. But I can’t speak highly enough of the NHS staff who are treating me. David, our four children and our family and friends are also being wonderfully supportive.

“I know I am very lucky to have found the cancer myself and acted on it. Scans have also revealed it thankfully hasn’t spread anywhere else.

“David’s Slim-athon will be a welcome distraction and I’m going to encourage him as much as possible to watch what he eats and to get on our treadmill!

“We will also be charting his progress on his JustGiving page and hope people will give generously knowing all the money will be going to Dorset families who really need it.”

Eve Went, co-founder of The DCCF said: “We are so thankful to Paula and David for thinking of the DCCF when they are going through so much themselves.

“We are very much looking forward to seeing David’s progress and wish this amazing family all the best in the coming months. Our supporters and fundraisers are what make the DCCF so wonderful, and we are grateful to have them on board.”

David Harris Wellings can be sponsored via his JustGiving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/davidandpaula

The DCCF Christmas Bazaar took place at the beautifully festive Hotel Collingwood in Bournemouth this year and was a feast of amazing food, gifts, clothes and plants.

Our organisers Mary Klon and Judy White worked with the owners of a fabulous range of stalls selling stunning clothes, candles, crafts, fine food and drinks and even original artworks.

Huge thanks go to House of Heels, Coquino Pantry, Fiery Fox Candles, Made to Measure Drinks, Citizen Arts, Veronica Morgan, Levoco and Vicky Campbell.

Beautiful cakes were, as always, provided by Jackie Ingram and The Potteries Care Home, and Kerry O’Brien the owner of Penhill Flowers was there with wreaths and floral arrangements. Her business is also selling a special Winter bouquet, with a percentage of proceeds going to The DCCF which can be found at: www.penhillflowers.co.uk Thanks also to Hotel Collingwood for sponsoring the tea and coffee, and your staff who were amazing.

Our wonderful DCCF supporters of course added the finishing touches to the occasion, manning the door, the bottle stall, raffle, nearly new clothing and even an unruly herd of rustic reindeer made for us by the amazing Keith Evans.

The event raised an impressive £1,194.87.

Thank you to all those who came along and supported us!

A retired engineer with inoperable liver cancer has crafted 33 rustic reindeer to raise funds for a local charity.

Poole father-of-two Keith Evans, 76, was diagnosed with terminal cancer in September 2022 and underwent palliative chemotherapy between October and January this year.

He said: “The chemo caused my cancer to ‘go to sleep’ for a while. But a scan in July showed it had woken up again. My oncologist talked me through the effects of a second round of chemo, but this would have made me quite poorly, so I chose not to accept it. I am a very positive person, so I decided just to get on with my life while I am able.

“I became aware of the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF) in 2010 when it was launched. I thought it was a fantastic charity helping the people of Dorset and I have supported it ever since.”

The DCCF gives financial help to people with cancer to pay for transport to and from hospital treatment, bills and accommodation costs and respite breaks.

Keith started making rustic reindeer last Christmas.

“They were originally for my family, friends, and my oncologist. Then a friend saw them and asked if I’d make some for her charity coffee morning for DCCF,” he explained.

When Eve Went, co-founder of the DCCF saw the reindeer she asked Keith to make her some. So, while he was recovering after chemo, he began work.

Keith’s love of fishing takes him to lakes where he can source the wood and twigs for the reindeer.

“The only items I need to buy is their noses, eyes, and some glue. So, all money taken on sales goes to the charity,” he added.

“I have made 33 reindeer this year for sale at the DCCF’s festive events.

“I hope that people buy them and enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them.”

Eve Went said: “I fell in love with Keith’s reindeer as soon as I saw them, and we are all so grateful that he has decided to make them for the charity.

“Keith is a wonderful man with a positive outlook on life and hugely supportive family. It’s lovely that his creations are spreading joy and helping us to raise funds to help many local families facing real hardships because of cancer.”

George Farquhar, who is also Labour councillor for Boscombe East and Pokesdown, will tackle the 13-mile event for The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF).

He volunteered to fundraise for the small, local charity, after hearing about its work to help families suffering extreme financial hardship alongside a cancer diagnosis.

Councillor Farquhar, who is seldom seen without his faithful rescue greyhound Billy, will be Mayor by the time he laces up his trainers for the event next October.

He said: “This will be a big challenge for me, but I want to raise awareness and hopefully some money for this great local charity which is doing such valuable work in our communities.”

Having started running properly two years ago Councillor Farquhar trained ‘sensibly’ to get himself back to fitness through a couch to 5k programme.

Since then, he has taken part in the popular Bournemouth Park Run almost 40 times.

He said: “This year, I ran the Run Bournemouth Supersonic 10k for Macmillan Cancer Support, which was my most challenging run to date.

“The half marathon is a whole new level again. But I’ve started training and I’m looking forward to it.

“I will be charting my progress on Facebook and through a JustGiving page and I hope people will encourage me, give some money to support DCCF and maybe even sign up to run in an event for the charity too.”

Eve Went, co-founder of the DCCF said: “We were honoured when the Deputy Mayor attended our recent annual appreciation evening for our fundraisers. Apparently, he was so impressed by what he heard he wanted to help too and before we knew it, he had volunteered to run the half marathon for us. We were obviously thrilled to bits.

“He is such a whirlwind of positive energy, and we can’t wait to follow his progress and hope others will do so too. It’s truly wonderful to think that the Mayor of Bournemouth will be running for the DCCF next October and we hope others will follow his lead and run for us too.”

The DCCF will pay the registration of anyone wishing to take part in a Run Bournemouth event, in return for them raising sponsorship for the charity. For more details email Penny at: hello@dccf.co.uk

To read more about the Deputy Mayor’s training progress and to sponsor his run for The Dorset Cancer Care Foundation please click here.

A leukaemia sufferer who was struck down with Covid and spent five months in hospital is now fundraising for other Dorset cancer patients.

Nigel Phillips from Bournemouth went into the Royal Bournemouth Hospital for chemotherapy in February 2020. But after testing positive for coronavirus, his condition declined rapidly and he was transferred to intensive care, not expected to survive.

The 70-year-old grandfather said: “I eventually woke up, covered in tubes, not knowing what had happened to me. I learned I had recovered from Covid. But then, because of my chemotherapy-weakened immune system, over the coming months I went on to develop pneumonia and multiple infections.

“I was told the nurses often took it in turns to hold my hand during periods when I was unconscious.

“I’m so lucky to be alive.”

Nigel eventually left Bournemouth hospital five months after he had gone in, deeply grateful for the amazing care of the consultants, doctors and nurses of the NHS.

“When I left I was in a wheelchair and still unable to walk. The doctors and nurses clapped and cheered me out of the ward and I broke down.”

Nigel has Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a group of conditions which causes bone marrow to make faulty blood cells. This developed into Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AMS), a cancer of the white blood cells.

The only way to remove MDS is through a successful bone marrow stem cell donor transplant.

Nigel was entered into the transplant programme and in 2022, he received a transplant at Southampton Hospital. But his trials weren’t over.

He said: “I had been on the Anthony Nolan donor register for three weeks when I heard I had been matched with a 24-year-old German man. It was incredible news.

“I had the transplant, which was a success. But the doctors warned me that I had been through World War One with the cancer and now I was going to go through World War Two following the transplant.

“I have had some terrible infections and long stays in hospital.

“But although my condition still challenges me, I feel I have had an amazing gift, and this, together with the work which went into saving my life here in Dorset, has made me determined to do all I can to help other people.”

He continued: “I have volunteered to test Covid treatments for cancer patients.

“Then, I heard about the work of the Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF) through a friend.”

The DCCF gives non-returnable cash grants to a growing number of Dorset people who have cancer and desperately need help to pay for costs including accommodation, bills, and childcare.

Nigel continued: “I was deeply impressed by how this small local charity and its supporters help local people with cancer to make it through often crippling financial struggles.

“I have been a member of the West Hants Club in Roslin Road South for over 20 years and have many friends there, many of whom, like me have experienced or are experiencing cancer.

“So, I approached the club, they gracefully agreed and I hosted one of the DCCF’s monthly fundraising coffee mornings here. With my fellow members’ support raised £478.

“I’m also now planning some events at Parkstone Yacht Club where I am a member.

“It’s deeply satisfying to know that all the money we raise will be going to Dorset families who really need it.”

Eve Went, co-founder of the DCCF said: “Nigel has been through a truly terrible experience and has thankfully come out of the other side. He is inspirational, and we are deeply grateful that he has chosen to support us in helping other Dorset people and their families who are going through their own gruelling cancer journeys.”

 

For details of how the DCCF can help you, or if you would like to find out how to fundraise for or support the charity, please visit: www.dccf.co.uk or email: hello@dccf.co.uk

“Alongside the money, just knowing that people I’ve never met were willing to help me, a complete stranger, was a huge boost emotionally when things felt very dire.” Alex Deeprose, 40, Poole.

Alex was diagnosed completely “out of the blue” with an aggressive form of renal cell cancer in January 2023.

One of his kidneys was removed and when lung metastasis was also discovered, Alex, who is a fraud investigator for an insurance company, entered into immunotherapy treatment which is still ongoing.

He said: “I was unable to work for five months, and it sounds strange, but because I had a treatment plan, paying the mortgage became more of worry than my potentially fatal cancer.”

His cancer support nurse suggested he apply for financial help from the DCCF.

“I was quite overwhelmed when I heard that the DCCF had awarded me some money. I really hadn’t expected it and the help it gave my wife and I to pay our mortgage was a huge weight off our shoulders.

“Alongside the money, just knowing that people I’ve never met were willing to help me, a complete stranger, was a huge boost emotionally when things felt very dire.”

Alex is now working from home and is responding well to treatment.

He said: “I would urge anyone with cancer who is struggling financially to contact the DCCF. It really is wonderful to know this charity is there to help people when they need it most.”