Darlington Building Society is invoking the festive giving spirit to help local gynaecological cancer patients.
The Society’s Yarm branch is in full festive spirit with hand-crafted stockings, knitted by customer service consultant and avid knitter, Pam Jones and long standing member Joan Watling. All hand-crafted stockings are available to buy in the lead up to Christmas, with all money raised going to Target Ovarian Cancer, which works to improve early diagnosis, find new treatments and provide much-needed support to women with ovarian cancer.
Target Ovarian Cancer will use the funds to help educate more GPs about ovarian cancer, to fund life-saving research, and to provide practical information and advice to anyone affected by ovarian cancer.
The Society is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year by aiming to help raise £160,000 for local causes. So far, the branch has raised £85 for the charity and the total sum will be boosted by Darlington Building Society’s community fund.
Carl Horsman, Branch Manager at Yarm’s Darlington Building Society, said: “Pam’s knitting skills have become legendary amongst Society members who use our Yarm branch.
“Every year she hand-knits poppies for Remembrance Day, which are always well received by customers and the general public. The stockings are already going down a storm and we’ve just entered December!”
Pam Jones, Customer Service Consultant at Darlington Building Society’s Yarm branch, said: “I first become aware of Target Ovarian Cancer when a former colleague at the branch was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to undergo treatment. She benefitted massively from the support that the charity gave her, so I knew I wanted to support them in some way.”
Susan Booth, Director of Fundraising at Target Ovarian Cancer, said: “It’s great to hear that people in Yarm are raising much-needed funds to support women with ovarian cancer. Thank you to Pam and Joan and all of Darlington Building Society – we are hoping the stockings continue to fly off the shelves. With your support, Target Ovarian Cancer can continue to support women, funding research and raising awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which are bloated tummy, difficulty eating o feeling full, tummy pain and needing a wee more often.”