A WHITCHURCH fundraising committee is celebrating raising £190,000 after six years of supporting Cancer Research UK.

The Relay for Life Whitchurch began fundraising for Cancer Research UK in 2012 and every year since, teams have taken part in a year-long fundraising challenge that has culminated in a 24-hour relay event each June.

The community has contributed a total of £190,000 to life-saving research for the last six years, highlighting the relay's oft-repeated motto of 'together, we are stronger than cancer'.

Ruth Hislop, Event Chair of Relay for Life Whitchurch, admitted the fundraising has once again blown her away.

“Being part of Relay For Life Whitchurch has been an incredible journey over the past six years," she said.

""I have met so many like-minded people, made new friends and have been honoured to get to know some of our survivors.

"It has been amazing to see the Whitchurch community pull together and join in our collective fight against this terrible disease.”

Money raised by Relay for Life Whitchurch will fund research to beat cancer sooner, helping to ensure more men, women and children in the town and across the UK survive.

This will be the last year that Ruth and the current committee will be organising the year long fundraising activities but Jo Moss, Cancer Research UK’s local fundraising manager for Shropshire, urges anyone who is interested in finding out how to become involved in a future Relay for Life team to get in touch at Joanne.Moss@Cancer.org.uk

Jo added her own thanks to the group for all of their hard work in setting up the relay each year and wishes them well.

She said: “Relay for Life Whitchurch have made a huge contribution to Cancer Research UK’s work over the past six years and we are incredibly grateful for their support.

"I am delighted that they will continue to support Cancer Research UK through their new fundraising group “Cancer Research UK Friends for Life.

“One in two people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer at some stage in their lives, but the good news is more people are surviving the disease now than ever before.

"Cancer survival in the UK has doubled since the early 1970s and Cancer Research UK’s work has been at the heart of that progress.

"However, we have only been able to achieve this thanks to the dedication and commitment of volunteers and supporters like Relay for Life Whitchurch.”