Julie smashes target to boost cancer fund

A local cancer charity will receive a boost of more than £2,000 after an event organised by a Red Lodge woman.

A tombola and grand draw held at Tesco’s Newmarket superstore on Saturday smashed the £1,000 target set by Julie Wilcock who planned the day to raise money for the Cambridge-based Elizabeth Coteman Fund, which offers practical support to patients and families dealing with pancreatic cancer and helps fund research.

“I am totally lost for words at the kindness of the local public,” said Julie. “One gentleman came up to me on Saturday and handed me £155 after losing his wife to this awful disease.

“He said he wanted to donate the money, which he had won, to a good cause and he couldn’t think of a better place for it to go.”

More than 30 raffle prizes were mainly donated by local companies. Marilyn Lucas, from Beck Row, won a 32-inch tv and Joanne Bateman Bromwich from Cambridge won a £150 gift voucher both given by Tesco. A well-stocked tombola stall also proved popular.

Julie works part-time in Tesco after giving up her job with a large pharmaceutical firm to help care for a close family member who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last July.

“I would like to thank every single person who supported this even,” said Julie. “I cannot change what is happening in my family’s life but I can help to raise much-needed awareness of this disease and hope that I can change someone’s prognosis,” she said.

The Elizabeth Coteman Fund was set up by her husband and children after her death in 2010 For more information visit www.ecfund.org