Good causes gain from cancelled unit

Money that was raised for a breast cancer screening unit at Newark Hospital has been given to other charities after plans for the unit were scrapped.

A former Mayor of Newark, Mr Bryan Richardson, and his wife, Mrs Penelope Richardson, presented the money at a Christmas party at their home in Sherwood Avenue, Newark, on Sunday.

A total of £8,500 was handed out.

Beaumond House Community Hospice was given £5,000; Newark Sea Cadets received £1,000 towards a new mini-bus; Newark Parish Church cockerel appeal received £1,000; Newark Town Band, which played during the evening, received £1,000; and £500 went to St John Ambulance.

The money was initially raised for a breast cancer screening unit planned at the hospital, which Mr Richardson chose for his mayor’s appeal when he was in office in 2007-8.

The Advertiser revealed in September that plans for the unit had been scrapped.

The money was returned after NHS Nottinghamshire County said there was insufficient demand for a state-of-the-art digital mammography machine.

Mr Richardson said: “I am very pleased to hand over the money to these important local causes.

“I would have been even more pleased if it had been going to a breast cancer screening unit, but the powers-that-be have decided we can’t have one and we have to have a mobile unit.

“The important thing is that the money has gone back into Newark.

“I raised the money with the intention of it benefiting the town, and they are all good local causes.”

The charities received their money at the Richardsons’ specially organised Christmas party, with supper, mulled wine and music.

Mr Wil Chung, the fundraising and marketing manager at Beaumond House, said: “It is a very substantial amount of money that will significantly help our patients.”

He said it would pay for the equivalent of 1,000 patient lunches, 250 nursing hours, 80 patient-care days or 30 nights of respite care.

The parish church has so far raised more than £50,000 of the £90,000 it needs to return the cockerel to the spire, and hopes to reach the target by Easter.

The Rector of Newark, the Rev Vivian Enever, said: “We are delighted with the generous donation. For us, it is Christmas come early.”

Nicky Bosworth, of St John Ambulance, said they were thrilled to receive a donation.

Mr Dave Poyser, the chairman of the management committee of Newark Sea Cadets, said: “The money is a kick-start for the appeal for our new mini-bus.

“We still have some way to go, but a mini-bus will enable us to go on trips throughout the country, including on seamanship courses in Portsmouth and Plymouth, which we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise.”