A message from Antony Alcock from the PPG

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Dear readers, please find a thank you message from the wonderful Antony Alcock from the PPG about his volunteering for Macmillan.

2019, 1st Event held at West Bar Surgery, South Bar House. On 3rd September. With the help of Dr Nicky Elliot's Daughter Rachael we set up a table in the main waiting room, with cakes supplied by some of the PPG Volunteers and staff. Also some cakes from the local farm shop, and my Sir Winston Churchills Fruit Cake. We raised an astonishing £650.00

2020 was the Pandemic sadly.

2021, September, we held the coffee morning with thanks to Mrs Julia Colegrave in her granary, which was a café. Cakes again supplied from her farm shop and PPG Volunteers, also my favourite Sir Winston Churchills fruit cake.

We raised £521 that year.

2022, September. As the Granary was now a full blown café, we moved our event to Deddington Parish Church, with the kind assistance of the Mothers and Toddlers Group. Again cakes made by PPG Volunteers also a lady who works at the local butchers shop. I made Sir Winston Churchills fruit cake as it had become a real hit. We raised £159.

2023, September. We were invited back to West Bar Banbury Cross Health Centre, with support from Jennifer Nichols Practice Manger, and with total support of members of the staff who made or donated cakes. This was held in the waiting room again with help from PPG Volunteers. Thanks to the support from staff as well as some patients we raised £220.70

Macmillan have contacted me to say they were extremely grateful for mine and my supporters support. We have raised a total of £1.550,70 which will help fund nursing care.

This is a breakdown of what it costs Macmillan  

£247.00 pays for a nurse in attendance for one day.
£181.00 provides emotional support for one person for around 8 weeks.

£21.00 could provide help to run their online community forum for 1 hour.

So to sum up it is vital we keep going. Macmillan do get support from some retail stores also one of the banks, but also rely on donations from people like ourselves from the general public. Without that they might really struggle.

They aim to raise at least £24 million each year.

I will certainly keep going, as one of my relations had the benefit of their services, and it made an enormous difference to them in their final time.

You can see my recipe for Sir Winston Churchills fruit cake on the BCHC facebook page

Thanks again to ALL who helped me with events.

Antony Alcock.

Published: Dec 5, 2023