Hello everyone, may I introduce ‘Annabel’s Angels’ to those of you, who haven’t heard of us, and update you all on what has been happening and what is in the pipeline.
Annabel, or ‘Annie40’ as she was to us in ‘Macland’, was a very active participant on the breast cancer group of the Online Community during last year. She connected beautifully and sensitively with women like myself during her own struggles with the disease.
Unfortunately we lost Annabel last December. So relentless was the cancer, so fast, so untimely!
However, out of this tragedy the beautiful phoenix ‘Annabel’s Angels’ arose; a group of ladies, who felt connected and we wanted to ‘Do’ something in memory of Annabel.
And so it was decided to run, walk, crawl this year’s Race for Life! Each one of us in our own area, but all under the umbrella name of Annabel’s Angels.
Our Facebook site was soon visited by many like-minded people, and we found comfort and support from each other as we were ‘moving on’ from Bootcamp (chemotherapy), and Tanning (radiotherapy), into Maintenance of our New Me.
Over 60 ladies covered the 5 or 10k this summer, all over Britain, all in our striking Annabel’s Angels T-Shirts. Moneys raised would go to Cancer Research UK, and Annabel’s Angels, now a non-profit organisation.
And was that the end of AA? Oh far from it! In meeting these amazing ladies, a current is running strong: we would like to help and support patients and relatives through their cancer ordeal and help them pick up their threads as they come out of treatment.
As we are still a very young organisation, we are not yet fully established as a charity, indeed we are still working out, how best to support people out in the communities. But a start has been made, and we are focusing our efforts within the community of Derby, where Annabel lived with her family, and where Simon, her husband, is holding the reins of this wonderful group of people.
We are delighted and excited to have been picked as one benefactor from a World Record attempt of an Auction, held by twice winner of the ‘auctioneer award of the year’, James Lewis. The auction will take place in Derby on the 28th November. However, at that, we have committed to raising 150 Lots to be auctioned! A tall ask!
We are also appreciating Asda Sinfin in Derby giving us bag-packing slots for fundraising. The next event is coming up on the 31 August. We will be there between 10am and 4pm. Please come find us and say hello, if you are close by.
And then there is the footy game – Derby County vs Leeds at Pride Park, on the 5 October. We’ll be there, too, with our bucket collections! May the best team win!
Please look us up, you can find us under annabelsangels.co.uk or via Facebook.
Love and hugs to you all,
Dorothee xx
