leahortez86: Our Heroes: Friends step to it

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Our Heroes: Friends step to it – and raise �33,000

DANCERS have raised more than �30,000 for charity in memory of their friend.

Alison Hughes, a popular member of Jill Clewes Performing Arts Centre, lost her battle with breast cancer in September 2009.

The 34-year-old was a keen dancer and a tireless fund-raiser, and so after her death her friends decided to ensure she had a fitting legacy.

Members of the performing arts centre have now raised �33,000 for Cancer Research UK through a series of sponsored aerobathons and other events.

And they have not stopped there, with their biggest aerobathon yet planned for next year.

Alison's widower Dave has nominated the fund-raisers as Charity Champions in The Sentinel's Our Heroes awards.

The 36-year-old, of May Bank, said: "Alison would have been overjoyed by the fund-raising her friends have been doing in her name. If she was still with us she would definitely have been involved herself.

"She raised lots of money for charities herself, such as the Willow Foundation, Animal Lifeline and Sail 4 Cancer. She carried on with that right until the end. That was just the sort of person she was.

"She loved to dance as well. She kept it up while she was having her treatment, and I think it did help her. She had good days and bad days, but the dancing kept her going. She had lots of friends there as well."

The fund-raisers, led by Jason McGill, Karen Bostock, Jayne Hearne and Amanda Clewes, daughter of Jill Clewes, held their first aerobathon at Alsager's Civic Centre in May 2010.

The event was attended by more than 100 people and raised �10,000 for charity.

Further events, including a second aerobathon at The Queens, Basford, in August, raised thousands more.

Jason, aged 39, of Wolstanton, said the fund-raising was a very appropriate way to remember their friend.

He said: "Alison was a very popular member of the performing arts centre.

"She always participated in the show that we put on every two years. In fact this year's will be the first show that Alison hasn't been involved with.

"We first started thinking about launching our own fund-raising campaign on the day of Alison's funeral.

"As we were leaving we had this feeling that we had to continue her work. We knew that Alison had been able to continue her fund-raising, she would have done. So we came up with the idea of the charity aerobathon.

"I think Alison would be absolutely over the moon at what we've managed to achieve. Fund-raising was her baby, so she would be chuffed to bits that we've raised so much money."

The fund-raisers have now booked the King's Hall, in Stoke, for an even bigger aerobathon next May.

Jason added: "We had 120 people at the aerobathon last May, but we're hoping to double or treble that number for the event at the King's Hall, and hopefully double or treble the amount we raise."

Our Heroes: The Sentinel and Britannia

THE Sentinel has once again teamed up with Britannia, part of The Co-operative Group, to recognise Our Heroes. The campaign, now in its sixth year, aims to highlight the efforts of people of all ages and from all walks of life.

Neville Richardson, chief executive of The Co-operative Financial Services, said: "Our Heroes has become firmly established as a highlight of the community calendar. Once again we are being moved by the truly amazing stories of extraordinary achievements, selfless courage and determination - stories that provide inspiration for all of us.

A celebrity gala dinner to honour the winners will take place in September. The closing date for entries is July 29.