Car booters help raise £1,500 for breast care unit

Car boot sale enthusiasts have helped to raise money for the cancer unit at the West Suffolk Hospital.

It comes after a special fundraising event at the fortnightly Fordham Car Boot sale which is jointly run by Richard Taylor and his wife Christine Humphries.

A total of £1,500 was raised from their August 15 event which was made up of donations and collections.

The car boot sale, which is situated in the village at Collins Hill, between Newmarket and Ely, just off the A14 and the A142, is one of the largest of its kind across East Anglian and regularly attracts hundreds of people.

Richard and his wife have been running the event for the past 20 years and decided to raise money for the cancer unit after Christine was treated at the hospital in Bury St Edmunds. It takes place every two weeks starting on Sunday, March 27, and runs until Sunday, October 9.

But the couple decided that the August 14 event would be a special charity day.

The money was directed towards the My WiSH Charity, which supports the hospital, and may be used to fund a counsellor or exercise sessions for patients in the unit during and after their treatment.

Seventy-two-year-old Richard said: “It was just a one off for My WiSH who had a stall with us. All the car booters supported the day and those who attended were so generous, it was really good for £1,500 to be raised on a really hot day.

“We organised it for the cancer unit following the care that my wife had over the past year.

“She has had all the treatment and now she is well again. It has been very, very tough for us as she has had chemotherapy and radiotherapy which has taken over a year and it was just our way of giving something back to the hospital for the great care that she received.”

Sally Daniels, fundraising manager, said it was wonderful to meet the couple. “Chris is an amazing positive lady and I know Richard has been her rock through all this. The money raised is incredible and we can use it to support others like her through their cancer treatment.”

Main photo: Richard Taylor and his wife Christine Humphries with their cheque for £1,500 for My WiSH.