Musical celebration for cancer centre hits right financial note

The classical crossover concert at Blackburn Cathedral included star performances by Bamber Bridge-based choir The Harmony Singers and Preston’s BBC Young Musician of the Year 2016 winner Andrew Woolcock.

Headlining the show, which was compered by BBC Radio Lancashire’s popular midday host John Gillmore, was Heysham soprano Linda Tolchard.

Dan Hill, Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s head of fund-raising, said: “For a number of years, we have organised an annual concert that we normally sell tickets for so it was a bit of departure to host a free event.

“We made it free so that as many people as were able could join us in celebrating the cancer centre’s birthday and those that turned out – an audience of well over 300 people, almost double our usual audience – were extremely generous in their support of our appeal. On behalf of Rosemere Cancer Foundation, I would like to thank them very much not just for their kind donations and support for the raffle but also, for helping to create a wonderful atmosphere within the cathedral, which I know all our performers very much appreciated.”

Through a raffle and donations, the concert raised £3,386 for Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s ambitious 20 Years Anniversary Appeal. The appeal, which has a £1.5m target and is being backed by the Lancashire Post, is raising money to bring the world’s most advanced robotic surgical system to Rosemere Cancer Centre, which is based at the Royal Preston Hospital.

It is also raising money to create a state-of-the-art research facility at the centre to enable more patients to participate in clinical trials to give patients access to the newest medicines and therapies being researched and developed for the future.

In addition, it is committed to funding the redevelopment of Rosemere Cancer Centre’s in-patient Ribblesdale Ward.

For more on the appeal and how to donate visit www.rosemere.org.uk