SANDFORD fundraiser Margaret Phillips has raised more than £500 for the Breast Cancer Support Fund at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital by selling knitted Christmas puddings.

Margaret, who fundraises for the charity every year, raised the money by selling her knitted Christmas puddings with a chocolate hidden inside to friends, family and her local community.

The puddings were stocked in local shops and pubs in and around Sandford and the chocolates were kindly donated by local supermarkets in Crediton.

Margaret also held a very successful coffee morning at the Congregational Church Hall in December in aid of the charity. 

She decided to start fundraising for the Breast Cancer Support Fund at the RD and E after she was cared for by the team.

Margaret explained: “I had a lump removed a couple of years ago. Luckily it was benign but I thought I would like to start helping others. You never know when you might need a service like this yourself.”

Margaret recently visited the team at the RD and E’s Breast Care Unit to hand over this year’s cheque for £560. The RD and E’s Breast Cancer Support Fund is used to support improvements in patient care and experience such as the safe running of patient support groups, help towards the cost of a television in the waiting area of the surgical outpatients department, and towards equipment, staff training and education.

Gill Gray, Lead Breast Care Nurse Specialist at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital said: “We are very grateful for the generous efforts of Margaret, who has been such a consistent supporter of our fund and the patients that it helps. We value her hard work and the Breast Care Nursing Team look forward to Christmas and Easter when we can buy her puddings and chicks.”

Margaret intends to start knitting again for the charity very soon, with a batch of knitted Easter chicks planned for the Spring.

In addition to the puddings raising funds for the Breast Cancer Support Fund, Margaret also presented £260 raised from the sale of puddings to FORCE, the Exeter-based cancer support charity.

Alan Quick