Action Cancer seeks volunteers for Carrickfergus collection

The collection will be held in the town on Saturday, August 5 from 10am.

Action Cancer is appealing to individuals, families, friends or work colleagues from the area to donate an hour or two of their time to help raise much needed funds, which will enable the charity to continue providing its life-saving services.

The charity already has strong ties in Carrickfergus with a longstanding Community Fundraising Group in the town.

Frances Robinson, who heads the local group said: “I have seen first-hand the life-saving work that is carried out by Action Cancer through its breast screening, counselling, complementary therapies and other therapeutic services. The charity operates in both urban and rural areas and provide services for people diagnosed with cancer as well as people supporting a loved one on a cancer journey.

"These vital support services only exist because of public fundraising and so I appeal to everyone to spare a couple of hours and get behind Action Cancer’s Great Big Summer Collection on August 5. Your time will make a positive difference to the lives of local people in the area and could quite possibly save a life.”

Action Cancer has been at the heart of cancer prevention, detection and support for people in Northern Ireland for 50 years.

The services that the charity provides are unique and free to the user but come at a cost to the charity of £4 million every year.

They include an early detection breast screening clinic, therapeutic services for people living with a cancer diagnosis as well as people supporting a loved one with a diagnosis and a range of health improvement services.

These can be accessed from Action Cancer House in Belfast or from 13 regional locations and on board the Big Bus, supported by SuperValu and Centra, which travels to over 200 locations each year.

Action Cancer Community Group Executive Mark Irwin-Watson, said: “We do not receive any regular funding from government and so rely heavily on fundraising to deliver our life-saving services. That is why events like ‘The Great Big Summer Collection’ are so vital to the work we do.

"In the last five years the Big Bus has visited the Mid and East Antrim council area over 40 times, which means 840 local women have had access to a breast screening and a further 440 people have been able to have a health MOT. Visits like these are only possible thanks to the generosity of local people so we are appealing to as many people as possible to get involved in the Great Big Summer Collection in Carrickfergus on August 5.

"By donating just one or two hours of your time you could help us save many more lives.”

For those people who are unable to volunteer on the day, Action Cancer is asking shops and businesses to place a bucket or collection tin in their venue for the summer months.

The charity is also accepting online donations at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/the-great-big-summer-collection

To volunteer on the day or help co-ordinate The Great Big Summer Collection contact Mark Irwin-Watson on 028 9080 3344 or email [email protected].