Cancer Campaign -
Daffodil Collection Day

January 18, 2023, and we received an email from the president of the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower, Mark Chambers soliciting our support.   “A cause that has been close to my heart for a number of years has been Marie Curie Cancer Research,” said Mark.  “As you know, they have their annual Daffodil Collection Day and in 2022 a number of you very kindly supported a collection at Waitrose.  So this year (I am) asking for volunteers at Waitrose over both Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th March.”  As the Marie Curie Charity says, It’s for the Great Daffodil Appeal 2023.

Marie Curie is an amazing organisation. They have been around for 75 years. They are there to provide help and support for all affected by terminal illness.

Last year they cared for 46,000 people in nursing homes and hospices; made over 8000 home visits and over a million people used their online bereavement and support materials. A fine Charity and a fine cause to support.

The problem

Demand for the right care, support and guidance for people reaching the final chapter of life is growing. Without urgent change, the gaps in end of life provision will only get larger and more people will die without adequate help or support.

Marie Curie believes that everyone should have the right to palliative care when they need it.
So no hesitation by Billericay Mayflower Rotary Club to initiate the weekend collection outside Waitrose and on the High Street, and members of our Club were happy to support.

Full to Brimming

“On Friday March 3 I took up my position outside Waitrose” reports Roger.  “The rota had been organised by Mayflower Rotary Club but for various reasons there had been necessary changes. That meant I shared my 3 - 5pm slot with Angela Smith, wife of president Kevin of Billericay Town Rotary Club. Collecting can be a lonely activity so it was great to be working together. Angela was good company and the time passed remarkably quickly.

As the photographs show our Marie Curie hats played a big part in getting shoppers attention, one way or the other, and encouraging donations.

Showed their generosity

By the end of the day the collection tins were full to brimming.

We counted out the money from the tins with the Manageress of the Marie Curie Charity shop.  She supplied us with new empty tins to fill that we passed on to Peter Strong, along with the charity related “Daffodil” give-aways, as he was undertaking the first session the next day.

Peter Strong reports that Saturday was the same with generous shoppers often giving folded bank notes as donations for this very worthy cause.

“In spite of a chilly and miserable start to the day early shoppers were on the move when Margaret Fowler and I arrived at Waitrose at 10.00 am,” he said. “Many good humoured and friendly folks stopped to chat and comments were passed about the scarcity of ready cash these days as searches were made in purses and handbags!”

“At the end of a numbing hour we were satisfied with the public’s donations and handed over our collection boxes and trays to Rtn Ruth Marshall of the Rotary Club of Billericay Town .........and dived inside for a hot drink.”

A good cause with Billericay people showing their generosity, a good community effort and some more new pictures for the family archives.