Couple raise £2,515 for Cancer Fund

A Welshpool couple who opened the doors and gardens to their 16^th century home raised £2,515 for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.

Mel and Heather Parkes, who own Lamplite Antiques in Welshpool, set out to raise £1,000 for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital based fund and were overwhelmed by the number who visited their home and garden at Church Bank on the weekend of July 23 and 24.

Mel, who was successfully treated for prostate cancer at the unit, said the couple never imagined there would be such a turnout. “People just kept coming and those who couldn’t be there have sent donations. The support has been fantastic and it’s wonderful to be able to hand over so much money to such a good cause.

“The care I received at the Lingen Davies Unit was absolutely brilliant and the staff were all amazing so the very least we could do was to help towards the fund which keeps the unit going.”

Heather added: “We are so grateful to everyone who has supported us and in particular Sheila Beedles, David and Margaret Rothwell and Alan Crow who helped us to cope with so many visitors over the weekend.”

Liz Cyle, Acting Fund Raising Manager for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund praised the couple for raising so much money. “Without this type of support it would be impossible to keep the unit running. We are extremely grateful to Mel and Heather for raising such a large sum of money.”

Number 1, Church Bank is regarded as a jewel in Welshpool’s crown. The couple have carefully restored the property which was once the home of Charlie Parry, the last cooper to make barrels for the dairy trade and visitors were able   to wander through the house and through a conservatory and into a garden room which houses a museum of Welsh country life and tools from many trades.

The garden was once a cobbled yard, used by coopers to construct barrels with many features still remaining, and has now been divided into different areas with archways, a shell grotto, Japanese garden area, mystic pool of smoke, ruined castle with fernery and secluded seating areas.

Caption: Mel and Heather Parkes hand over a cheque for £2,515 to Liz Cyle, Acting Fund Raising Manager for the Lingen Davies Cancer Fund.