The Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund www.lingendavies.org.uk

The Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund is a registered Charity (no. 509649), dedicated to improving facilities for people with cancer in Shropshire and Mid Wales. This turns over close to £1m each year as a result of the continued generous donations received from former patients and members from the local communities of Shropshire and Powys. Such donations enable the Charity to invest in additional equipment and facilities that in turn enhance the comfort of both patients and staff.

The Fund’s main current appeal, launched in January 2004, is to raise £3.2m to build a new cancer centre for patients across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. The new building will provide a new clinic for the Haematology department, new wards for the Head & Neck Unit and extend the existing Chemotherapy Day Unit. The Appeal has now raised over £1.7m thanks to the generosity of local people, and the support of the Shewsbury Chronicle, however there is still a long way to go.

Part of the money raised by our bike ride will be designated to the new Haematology department. The Haematology Department treats patients with cancer of the blood, eg.

• Leukaemia
• Lymphoma
• Myeloma
• Other Blood Disorders

Since 1994, the number of patients treated in the current department has increased from 200 to over 1000 cases per year. These types of blood cancers can affect anyone at any age. Treatment can last between three and six months, and includes multi-drug chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. Treatment is currently administered in a very small area, which is extremely cramped and inappropriate.

The new 2 storey building will provide the clinical teams with the space they need to treat cancer patients with the dignity and respect they deserve.

The Primrose Hospice Bromsgrove www.primrosehospice.org

The Primrose Hospice and Cancer Help Centre is an independent charity (no. 700272), offering advice and support to cancer patients and their families in the North Worcestershire area.

They support patients in Bromsgrove, Redditch, Rubery, Studley, Wythall and the surrounding areas and also contribute to palliative care for in-patients at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital in Bromsgrove, in partnership with Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

The Hospice could not function without the dedicated team of volunteers, who offer their time in a variety of areas.

As an independent charity, The Primrose Hospice makes no charge for it's services. They rely on donations and fundraising events by individuals and businesses in order to maintain and develop their high standards of care. The Primrose Hospice have to raise £1.2m each year to help pay for the services they provide.

In 2008, The Primrose Hospice celebrated 21 years of providing care and support to the local community.