Mile of Pennies in Thatcham raises funds for Newbury Cancer Care

A MILE of pennies in Thatcham has raised hundreds of pounds for Newbury Cancer Care.

Around 30 people dropped their pennies at the event held in Lower Way last month.

Karen de Monte organised the event to fundraise for the charity as it has helped her family in the past, and with her own diagnosis.

She said: "The event was fantastic, and we ended up raising a brilliant £834 for Newbury Cancer Care, £385 of that was from our Justgiving page

"I have personal reasons for choosing this incredible charity. The first being it was because of them that my family and I were able to spend our beloved Dad`s last few days with him, while he was a patient in the `Rainbow Rooms`.

"My second is because of the incredible support they are now showing myself, my husband and children. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of April, and am currently on my own journey of chemotherapy."

Mrs de Monte, who started the Joining Together Facebook group at the start of the first lockdown to help people in need, said she had wanted to give back to the amazing charity before she received her diagnosis.

The charity relies entirely on public donations to provide care and support to people with cancer and their dependants at the West Berkshire Community Hospital.

Mrs de Monte said: "Newbury Cancer Care is such a fantastic charity, who have been involved in many of our lives over the years, supporting us all when we need help, in the darkest of times."

She said the idea for the mile of pennies was to fund research to stamp out cancer penny by penny.

She added: "This will certainly not be the last fundraising that will be taking place, it`s only just the beginning."

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/karen-de-monte1