17th December 2017

UPDATE! DCCF Christmas Family Appeal

In order to enable us to distribute the proceeds of the campaign in time to give some Christmas cheer, the campaign is now closed. Our Christmas single is still available to purchase – please see the details below. Thank you for your support!

From all at DCCF and on behalf of all the people we can help as a result of your generosity, we thank you dearly and wish you a healthy and happy Christmas.

DWP Housing Partnership helps spread joy to families with cancer

Steve Wells, MD of DWP Housing Partnership presents Pam Jeffries of Dorset Cancer Care Foundation with a donation for the charity’s Secret Santa appeal.

DWP Housing Partnership is the latest local firm to become a ‘Secret Santa’ for families facing cancer this Christmas. Dorset’s biggest private landlord, based in Boscombe, has donated £250 to Dorset Cancer Care Foundation’s (DCCF), Secret Santa appeal.

The appeal, which launched this month (December), asked for donations to enable local families facing cancer to buy festive food and gifts. Over £1000 has been raised.

DWP Managing Director Steve Wells, said: “We first became aware of the work of DCCF this year and have been very impressed by the support this small, local charity gives to Dorset families which are suffering financial difficulties because of cancer.

“We feel proud to donate to the Secret Santa fund and hope our gift will bring some relief to a local family over the festive period.”

Pam Jeffries, one of the founders of DCCF, said: “We have been bowled over by the generosity of DWP Housing Partnership in this, our first Secret Santa campaign.

“We have also received donations from the Marsham Court Hotel, Colten Care, Coleman Insurance Brokers and TeamJobs, as well as many donations from individuals, all anxious to do what they can to help local families in need.”

She added: “The £1000 has been used to buy supermarket vouchers which will be shared equally between four local families and will ensure each has some much-needed treats this Christmas.”

DCCF was formed in 2012 in Poole by Eve Went, Pam Jeffries and Leslie-May Harrison. The charity organises events and raises money to fund grants to pay for Dorset cancer patients’ household bills, childcare costs, transport costs and much needed short breaks.

To get involved in the work of DCCF in 2018 visit: www.dccf.co.uk

Many thanks to Steven Risk CEO of Coleman Insurance based in Poole and his staff for donating to our Xmas appeal Steve is seen here with Leslie May Harrison, Founder Trustee of DCCF.

More information at: https://tinyurl.com/y7ht4zyr

To launch our campaign we reported:

Businesses and individuals are being urged to give one extra, small gift this Christmas to help local families coping with cancer.

Ashton McClelland from AFC Bournemouth commercial team dressed as Santa to help DCCF launch Secret Santa at the Vitality Stadium. He said: “The club is a proud supporter of DCCF and we will be urging all our members to make a donation and hope individuals will too”

Dorset Cancer Care Foundation, which gives grants to Dorset cancer patients, has launched a ‘Secret Santa’ campaign to help families facing cancer to afford festive food and gifts.

The campaign has already received backing from the commercial arm of AFC Bournemouth, AFC Business, which is encouraging its members and other Dorset businesses to donate.

Eve Went, who helped found Dorset Cancer Care Foundation (DCCF) in 2012, said: “In addition to huge emotional stress, cancer can cause immense financial stress for families”

“A parent who is undergoing cancer treatment might not be well enough to work, and when a child has cancer, parents often have to miss work to take them to appointments or care for them at home. When this happens bills soon begin to pile up.”

“Christmas is a special time, but it also means extra expense for these already struggling families,” she added. “We hope that people who are looking forward to spending time with their own families this Christmas will take a few minutes to make a small donation to the Secret Santa appeal and help those who are facing dark times. Many of us are already buying secret Santa gifts for colleagues while companies will be buying their clients Christmas boxes.We cannot help these families beat cancer, but by making a small, extra donation, we can ensure they afford some luxuries this Christmas.” Just a few pounds could help a family afford gifts, festive food, heating or mounting household bills this festive period. They will receive your donation addressed from “A Secret Santa”

Dorset Cancer Care Foundation is a small local charity which provides grants for people experiencing financial difficulty as a result of cancer.

Recent Testimonials:

“Our world fell apart when my husband was diagnosed with leukaemia. When DCCF said it could help I felt overwhelmed. Just knowing we had people looking out for us and willing to offer us financial support at a time when we felt very lonely and isolated made all the difference.” Sue, Poole.

Also supporting the launch of the Secret Santa campaign are Marta and Krzysztof Swiderek, from Bournemouth, who both have cancer and have been helped by DCCF.

Krzysztof works for a recycling company and has kidney cancer. Marta, who works as a cleaner has a gynaecological cancer.

Marta said: “We have both tried to keep working throughout our treatment, but there have been times when it has made us very sick and it has been very hard to afford all our bills and the things our sons Viktor, 12, and John, seven, need.

“When Viktor asked to go on a school trip with the rest of his class we thought it would be impossible.“It feels awful to let your children down. It is bad enough that they have two sick parents.

“But DCCF heard about our situation through Viktor’s school and stepped in to help us meet the cost. We cannot thank this charity enough and supporting their campaign and, hopefully, helping other local families this Christmas time is something we are proud to do.”