Morecambe cancer fund raiser doing it for his family

Mal Neill’s mum and brother-in-law were both diagnosed with cancer just days apart earlier this year.

So his annual Macmillan Big Coffee Morning this Friday (September 30) will be an emotional day for the former Kings Own Royal Border Regiment man.

“This year’s is more important to us due to my mother Barbara being diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer and my brother-in-law Bruce being diagnosed with lung cancer days later,” said Mal.

“Both my mum and my brother-in-law are under the care of Macmillan.

“So this event is very poignant.”

Mal’s younger brother, Jeffrey, died of cancer in 1986, aged 22.

Jeffrey raised £40,000 for CancerCare in the 1980s before he died, so it has been important for Mal to carry on the family’s fundraising legacy.

The coffee morning at Mal’s Berkeley Guest House in Morecambe is now in its fourth year and has raised around £2,000 for Macmillan to date.

The event will coincide with a get-together of some of his old army colleagues and their wives at the guest house on Marine Road West.

The Big Coffee Morning runs from noon to 5pm on Friday. Refreshments and homemade cakes will be available all afternoon to eat in or even buy to take home.

There will be raffle prizes to be won and competitions to take part in all to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Call 01524 418201 for more information.