Fundraiser steps up campaign with shop (From The Advertiser Series)

Fundraiser steps up campaign with shop in Willington

11:24am Thursday 11th October 2012 in News By Duncan Leatherdale

A CANCER survivor who has raised more than £100,000 for medical equipment will open her first shop this weekend to step up her charity’s campaign.

Trish Greensmith had hoped to open the Chyrelle Addams Cancer Support Shop yesterday, but, due to unforeseen difficulties, will now open it at 10am on Saturday.

She has taken over the former Colliery Cafe, in Willington’s High Street, which has been vacant for several months.

The shop will be the newest tool in her campaign to raise funds to buy medical equipment for use in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

She launched the Chyrelle Addams Cancer while still undergoing strenuous treatments for her own breast cancer which was diagnosed in 2007.

Mrs Greensmith, a club singer, launched the charity under her stage name and has so far raised more than £101,000.

She has also opened a cancer support centre in her home town which offers a place for people affected by cancer to socialise and relax.

Mrs Greensmith, who lives in Willington, said: “I am very excited about the shop, although am a bit disappointed to not have it open yet.

“I have had a lot of support for it though, and am very grateful to the volunteers who will ultimately determine its success. We have already got quite a lot of stock and it’s all of a very high quality. Some of it is brand new and still has the tags on, but we are still selling it cheap.

“We won’t be selling just any old tat.”

The shop will be open on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings for a threemonth trial.

Mrs Greensmith said: “There is still a real need for what we do. Only the other day I got a letter from a surgeon asking for £9,000 to repair a microscope used in operations on cancer patients, a good reminder of why we are needed.”

She is also appealing for a handyman to help with odd jobs, both at the shop and at the cancer support centre, in Commercial Street.

For more information, call her on 07425-139223.