Sunderland market stallholder raises £14k for cancer charity
Lilian Griffiths, from South Shields, has been supported by fellow stallholders in Jacky White’s Market, Sunderland, to raise the money for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity, over the last 12 years.
The second-hand stall is kept stocked with donations from residents, who bring in books, DVDs, jigsaws, and audiobooks for Ms Griffiths to sell.
Ms Griffiths, who runs a clothing stall within the market, LG Fashions, said: “People are really thoughtful and bring in bagfuls of donations of things they no longer need.
“It means lots of items that might otherwise end up cluttering shelves or, worse, going to landfill, are getting reused.
“There’s always someone at the stall looking to find themselves a bargain and help a very special regional charity, too.”
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation funds cancer treatment, including the clinical trials of new cancer drugs.
Ms Griffiths added: “I think everyone’s affected by cancer and the trials of new drugs are really important to people in our region.
“I lost my brother, John Williams, to cancer, and also my friend Anne Ashcroft, so this is a charity that means a lot to me.
“We all want to see treatment moving forward.
“My next aim is to reach £15,000 raised and I’m really grateful to everyone in the market for supporting the stall so far.”
Patients with advanced cancer come from across the North East and Cumbria for treatment at the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, in Newcastle.
Originally equipped by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, it serves a catchment area of 3.5 million people regionally.
Mark Robson, Sir Bobby’s son, said: “My dad was very proud that his Foundation is directly helping patients across the whole of the region who are facing cancer.
“And that the drug trials at the Sir Bobby Centre provide a lifeline to people who have no more standard cancer treatment available to them.
READ MORE:
“Fundraisers like Lilian mean we can keep on with that important work and we’re hugely grateful to her and everyone who has supported her fundraising efforts at the market.”
Jacky White’s is a traditional market, with a range of products and services, located within the Bridges Shopping Centre in Sunderland.
More information about The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation can be found at www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk.