LETTERSTON Friends of Tenovus recently celebrated their 25th year as dedicated fundraisers on behalf of what has now become the leading Welsh cancer charity, Tenovus Cancer Care, at the Wolfscastle Country Hotel.

The group was founded on July 27, 1993 by an intrepid band of friends, with advice from their Tenovus community fundraiser, Robert Taylor.

Over the last quarter of a century of fundraising, the group has collectively raised £101,000 for the charity, enabling it to continue with many of its community-based support programmes for cancer sufferers and their families in and around the local areas and its ground-breaking research too.

Exactly 25 years to the day after the group was first formed members and many of their local supporters from around the area joined together to celebrate with a delicious four course Silver Gala Dinner provided by Andrew Stirling and his excellent team of staff. The meal was accompanied throughout the evening with musical interludes by the talented young harpist, Ioan Evans.

The evening was beautifully hosted by the original community fundraiser, Robert Taylor, who was accompanied by his wife Shirley. The guest speaker and auctioneer for the evening was the extremely entertaining Brian Harries BEM, who at one point, had the audience believing they were actually at an animal auction.

However, the most important people of the evening were of course the group themselves. Led by the chairman, Rhian Taylor, committee members Mary Iles, Beryl Thomas, Alona Jones, Barbara Thorne, Jane Francis, Miriam Williams, Rona Gale, Sandra George and Ann Evans had all worked tirelessly to organise the evening. A delicious celebratory cake had been made by Jane beautifully decorated by Rona and was cut with plenty of ceremony.

The dinner, raffle and auction, with prizes and gifts donated by extremely generous local businesses and individuals, helped the team raise a fantastic £3,035 for Tenovus Cancer Care.

"The charity's motto is give hope, help cope," said Sara Pilkington, Tenovus' regional fundraising organizer. "But without the incredible support of people like this amazing group, who for that whole 25 years have given their time and talents so freely in an effort to help others, Tenovus Cancer Care simply could not do what it does.

"To that mind, we give our heartfelt thanks to the group for all they have done and wish them all a very happy anniversary. Here's to the next 25 years."

For more information visit www.tenovuscancercare.org.uk or ring Tenovus' dedicated helpline on 0808 808 1010.