Giving thanks for care

Staff at Newark and Sherwood District Council were in the pink on Friday to raise more than £700 for a cancer charity.

An administration officer at the council’s Dukeries Leisure Centre, Mrs Janet Laverick asked her colleagues to wear a pink item of clothing and donate money to Breast Cancer Care.

About 15 staff and customers took part in a sponsored spinathon — a class on exercise bicycles — led by operations manager Mr Cameron Mackinnon.

Some of the participants took part in the full five-hour session, which had disco lights and music. Others took it in turns.

Mrs Laverick (54) of Cornwall Drive, Ollerton, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May last year.

Mrs Laverick urged women to check their breasts regularly.

She had an operation to remove a lump, and six months of chemotherapy followed by three weeks of radiotherapy. She has the anti-cancer drug Herceptin every three weeks.

Her treatment is due to finish in February.

Mrs Laverick said: “This is a great opportunity to give a little bit back and raise awareness of a disease that affects everyone is one way or another.”

She said she was overwhelmed by the support for Friday’s event.