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Leading hospital charity thanks supporters for ending another year of giving with more festive spirit than ever before 

Posted on by Danni Smith

A leading hospital charity has marked the end of another year of extraordinary giving by bringing in more festive spirit than ever before. 

Every year, supporters of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) donate millions of pounds to help make Addenbrooke’s even better, with Christmas the chance to shine a light for patients and staff during what can be a very difficult time of year for many. 

With another special event being added to the charity’s annual festive activities, the charity has thanked its supporters for ‘remembering there are people in hospital who need a little love.” 

Each year, ACT supporters help fund Christmas events and activities designed to bring a smile to both patients and staff, with the charity funding a Christmas hamper for staff on the wards at Christmas.  

The hospital charity also funds the staff Winter Festival through its Stronger Together grant as a way of thanking hardworking staff who give so much to patients throughout the year. 

In addition to this, ACT works closely with its corporate partners throughout the year looking at ways in which they can give back to both Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, including Christmas time. 

Cambridge Commodities, based in Ely, is one of those – and each year, staff at the firm hold an annual ball to fundraise to buy every patient in hospital on Christmas Day a present, as well as chocolates for staff working over the Christmas holidays. Staff from the firm also volunteer their time to sit down and personally handwrite a card to go with every present. (Pictured below are Chris Dakin and his son Matt, from Cambridge Commodities)

This year sees another special Christmas activity added to the charity’s growing list of festive treats with presents for the children’s wards, allowing young patients the chance to choose, and wrap, a present for their parent or carer. Presents were bought using a donation from Marsh Industries’ Sooey Campaign, the company’s fundraising initiative for children’s hospitals across the UK.  


Cheffins CEO Bill King with Emma Meade and Kat Collen from the Play Team at Addenbrooke’s

Cheffins – who this year partnered with ACT during its 200-year anniversary and pledged to raise funds to help build a playroom at the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital – have also donated 200 comforters to babies receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Addenbrooke’s this Christmas.  

Reflecting on all the Christmas spirit the charity has been able to provide for patients and staff, with the help of its supporters, Paul White, Director of Communications and Impact at ACT, said: “Whether you are a patient that wants to be home with their loved ones, or a member of staff caring for people who you know should be with their families, this time of year can be especially challenging to be in hospital. However, never is there a better example of the unwavering kindness and support of the local community than at Christmas.” 

“This year our supporters have donated both money and time, meaning ACT has been able to do even more for patients and staff at Addenbrooke’s than ever before. From the unstoppable Cambridge Commodities who are wrapping thousands of presents so that every patient in hospital on Christmas Day gets a special gift, to the hampers for staff bought using kind donations from the public to remind them how grateful we all are, countless people are stepping up, remembering there are people in hospital who need a little love, and doing their bit to make Addenbrooke’s even better.” 

“Every act of kindness makes a difference, and we couldn’t do any of what we do to change and save lives without the public’s wonderful donations.” 

James Stevens, CEO of Cambridge Commodities, said it was his company’s 7th year of partnership with ACT, but their 6th year of buying Christmas presents for every patient in hospital on Christmas Day. 

He said memories from the past six years were ‘indescribable” and added: “We raise the money at our annual charity ball, we wrap the presents in our office, where our incredible staff stay late for a couple of evenings in December and wrap thousands of gifts and hand write every single card. We are then given the amazing opportunity of taking the gifts to the hospital which is pretty special and something you never forget. This year we have been given an even greater opportunity where we will hand deliver the presents directly to the wards, which we are all excited about.” 

“The memories that this brings to the team are indescribable and we have had some magical moments where people we have known have woken up on Christmas day in the hospital and received a gift from Cambridge Commodities. Something that can bring a smile in a moment when life might be quite hard. Closer to home, one of our wrapping staff ended up giving birth over the festive period and was given a gift and card that she might have wrapped herself.” 

Natasha Robertson (left), Corporate Partnerships Manager at ACT, described the event as “one of the most special moments in our annual calendar.” 

“Knowing that every patient waking up in hospital on Christmas Day will have a gift to open is incredibly moving, and it reflects the true spirit of thinking of others at this time of year. We’re immensely grateful to Cambridge Commodities, whose long-standing support makes this possible. They don’t just fund the presents – they wrap them and personally deliver them to the wards, always adding those extra thoughtful touches that mean so much to our patients and staff. Their generosity helps bring a sense of warmth and celebration into the hospital when it’s needed most.” 

Molly Youngs (below), ACT’s Corporate Partnerships Executive, said she was really excited to see the latest activity added to the charity’s list of festive events – with children in hospital able to choose a special present for their parent or carer at Christmas – after inspiration from her children’s school. 

“The idea first came to me when I was part of my boys’ school PTA. We had an Elf Shop where parents donated gifts, and the children got to enjoy their own little shopping experience—choosing something special for their loved ones in secret. My two boys absolutely loved it, and the joy on their faces when they handed us their chosen presents on Christmas morning was magical. That memory is what inspired me to bring the same experience into the hospital.” 

“With the amazing help of Ann from the Play Team, we’ve been able to make it happen. Now, children who can’t leave the hospital over Christmas can still pick out a present, wrap it up, and surprise their family on Christmas morning.” 

“It means a lot to us to think about every family’s circumstances—some parents may not otherwise receive a gift—and this gives children the chance to give something back, no matter what.” 

“Seeing this introduced for the very first time is incredibly exciting, and I truly hope we can continue it next year. For children who may be quite unwell, I hope this little moment of joy brings comfort at a time when being in hospital can feel especially hard. Christmas is about love and togetherness, and this is one way of bringing that spirit to the wards.” 

R G Carter Construction in Cambridge also donated 50 presents for patients on the elderly ward at Addenbrooke’s this Christmas. 

Delivering a tinsel-wrapped trolley full of presents for children on the wards to choose and wrap for their mums, dads, and carers on Christmas day brought a lot of happiness to the ACT team, and all the members of the hospital’s play team. 

Ann, the Play Team manager from Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, thanked ACT for making this special event possible, saying: “I think this is a wonderful way of making sure all the parents are thought about this Christmas even if the children remain in hospital over the Christmas period.” 

Patients included five-year-old Harry, from St Neot’s, who underwent a liver and bowel transplant using 1.2 metres of bowel and a third of his dad’s liver in an operation in January. Harry helped pick a special present for his mum and dad, Annie and Gary, with mum Annie saying: “He’s doing good but there’s been a lot of bumps.” 

Baby Teddy was asleep in bed when ACT helped deliver a present for his mum Claire, who has four boys including Teddy. Claire said: â€œIt’s a wonderful idea, so kind. It’s a little pick me up. It means a lot for someone to be thinking of the parents when you are going through this.” 

As the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research to fund potential cures and help save lives, above and beyond what the NHS can provide. 

ACT is also fundraising to help build two new pioneering hospitals on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus which will benefit patients not just in the East of England, but nationally and globally too – the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital. 

Each year, the charity donates millions to Addenbrooke’s to help make it even better – and in the past 30 years alone, has invested more than ÂŁ150 million in the hospitals. 

To find out more about what ACT does and how you can help make Addenbrooke’s even better, please donate here.

To find out about volunteer opportunities at ACT, click here.

Corporates who would like to support ACT as Charity of the Year can also get in touch by emailing: corporatepartnerships@act4addenbrookes.org.uk.  

First nature-wrapped CT scanner at Addenbrooke’s changes patient experience 

Posted on by Danni Smith

Addenbrooke’s CT department has seen its first scanner wrapped in nature-themed vinyls. 

Jodi Gooding, a Senior Radiographer at Addenbrooke’s, said the aim of the design – as with the MRI Scanner which was wrapped back in August last year – was to ‘bring the outside in’. 

As part of the design, the ring of the Siemens scanner was wrapped earlier this year in a green, leafy design against the backdrop of a bright blue sky – with the walls of the windowless room covered with a photo of a bluebell wood, showing sun bursting through the branches of the trees. 

Jodie said that because the scanner is not enclosed as in the case of an MRI scanner, most patients do go through with their scan first time. However, there have been cases in the past where patients haven’t been able to complete their scan or really struggled to do so. 

“It’s made a huge difference to patients. We don’t have any windows so there is no natural light in here so people always comment about that because now it feels like we do have natural light. It makes the room look much lighter and less clinical. And it appears less scary. I think for the adults it is much more calming but for the children it feels less clinical.” 

The wrap was funded by supporters of Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). Addenbrooke’s has a total of five CT scanners onsite and two remote, with the department applying for more funds from ACT to wrap the next scanner.   

David Biddle, CT Service Manager, said: “The newly ‘wrapped’ CT room and scanner provides a very calm environment that helps put patients at ease during their scan.”  

He said approximately 900 patients, per month, benefit from the generous donation from ACT and the department as a whole scans almost 8,000 patients per month. Since April, when this first scanner was wrapped, it has performed around 4,900 scans.   

ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide and is raising money to help build both the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital. 

Click here to donate.

 

Addenbrooke’s begins innovative liver cancer treatment for first NHS patients in Europe

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

Addenbrooke’s has become the first hospital in Europe to deliver histotripsy treatment to a patient outside of a clinical trial, after being fast-tracked by the Government – marking a major milestone in NHS cancer care.

Whilst funding for the multi-million-pound system was made possible by a generous donation from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, the consultant who fought to bring the system to the UK has thanked Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) for helping to get the project over the finishing line by providing funding for the first 33 patients to be treated on the NHS.

The pioneering procedure which uses ultrasound energy to destroy tumours took place at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, where a patient from Bedford became the first person in Europe to undergo the incisionless treatment for liver cancer.

Dr See and the Addenbrooke’s theatre team using a degassed water bath to transmit the focused ultrasound waves to the tumour area. Credit: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH)

Histotripsy uses focused sound waves to generate microscopic “bubble clouds” from naturally occurring gases present in targeted tumour tissues. The bubbles form and collapse in microseconds, creating mechanical forces that destroy cancer cells without the need for surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. With treatment taking as little as 30 minutes and usually with minimal or no pain, patients can recover quickly and spend less time in hospital, with treatment performed as a day case.

Dr Teik Choon See, consultant interventional radiologist at Addenbrooke’s

Dr Teik Choon See, consultant interventional radiologist at Addenbrooke’s, led the procedure. “Histotripsy represents a major and exciting step forward in cancer treatment,” said Dr See. “It allows us to target tumours more precisely while sparing surrounding healthy tissue, offering patients a safer and faster alternative to traditional therapies.

“What is even more promising is in some reported cases, after the sound waves break apart the tumour, the patient’s immune response may become activated and clear up some remaining cancerous tissues, showing real hope for patients.”

Thanking ACT supporters who helped clear the path for the first 33 patients to receive the treatment, Dr See said getting the project off the ground would have been ‘tricky and challenging’ without the charity’s funding, adding: “It actually helped tremendously to complete the deal and also enabled us to do cases for the NHS patients.”

Whilst this pioneering treatment is new to the UK and Europe, it is already being used in the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, with the treatment expanding to Singapore.

Shelly Thake, Chief Executive at ACT, said: “I’m so proud that ACT, thanks to our generous supporters, has been able to play an important role in bringing this pioneering and life-saving new treatment not only to Addenbrooke’s, but to the UK and Europe. Histotripsy gives hope to many cancer patients who now have a new, non-invasive treatment option, and builds on the already incredible work being carried out here at Addenbrooke’s by world-leading clinicians and researchers who are changing the story of cancer through early diagnosis, personalised treatment, and pioneering new equipment and techniques. ACT is proud to be playing a part in making this possible, and we’re grateful beyond words to our supporters.”

Roger Jackson, 80, from Bedford, the first patient in Europe to be treated using Histotripsy, said: “I feel privileged to be the first NHS patient and to receive this care was an amazing experience. It is impressive to think that sound waves can treat cancer, without the need for patients like me to go through intensive surgery, at what already is a stressful time. I’m hugely grateful to the team at Addenbrooke’s for their specialist care and expertise.”

Roger Jackson from Bedford, the first NHS patient to receive histotripsy at CUH, outside a trial setting. Credit: Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH)

After treatment last week, Mr Jackson was discharged the following day and is back at home. He said he is now looking forward to spending time with his family, including his sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The installation of the Edison Histotripsy System at Addenbrooke’s was made possible by a generous donation to the University of Cambridge from the Li Ka Shing Foundation, a long-standing supporter of cancer research in Cambridge. The technology, developed by US-based HistoSonics, has already treated over 2,000 patients worldwide following the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for the destruction of liver tumours in 2023.

Roger Jackson’s treatment is the first histotripsy procedure to take place after the equipment was granted Unmet Clinical Need Authorisation (UCNA) in Great Britain enabling time-limited, controlled early access to the Histotripsy device under the UK’s Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP) pilot programme. Overseen by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UCNA enables early market access to the medical device under certain conditions prior to full regulatory approval, meaning NHS patients can benefit from technology years earlier than planned.

With patient funding from ACT, treatment is initially being offered to selected patients with tumours from primary and secondary liver cancers. The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is exploring initiatives to fund research into the clinical and cost-effectiveness of histotripsy. Further studies are underway to explore its use in other cancer types.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: â€œThis marks the beginning of a new generation in cancer treatment. We are lighting the fuse beneath the technological revolution, transforming care for NHS patients. 

“By slashing red tape, we’ve made sure this game-changing new cancer treatment has reached the NHS front line quicker, and I’m proud to say British patients are now the first in Europe to benefit. 

 â€œThis government has streamlined approval processes to create an NHS fit for the future – protecting patients while unleashing the full potential of our scientists and NHS staff so they can deliver world-class care.”

Roland Sinker, chief executive of CUH, said: “Histotripsy represents a hugely exciting and new era of cancer innovation and care.

“With faster recovery times and shorter hospital stays, this not only reduces the strain on our hospital beds, but it also frees up surgeons to focus on the more complex cancer cases, helping to cut waiting times.

“We are delighted to be at the forefront of this new ground-breaking technology and understanding how we can treat cancer more accurately and precisely, a position we aim to strengthen further with our planned Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.”

The specialist hospital, set to be built on Europe’s largest life science campus, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, is a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge. By bringing world-leading scientists and clinical expertise together in one NHS building, the new hospital will treat patients across the East of England and will accelerate research and innovations to change the story of cancer across the UK and beyond. Find out more here.

ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds cutting-edge equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide and is raising money to help build both the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital.

Click here to donate.

Treatment for Histotripsy

Addenbrooke’s is currently setting up a referral pathway, so the histotripsy technology can be made available to patients at Addenbrooke’s and beyond. External referrals will be considered through a consultant referral, and suitability for the treatment will be decided by medical teams based on the cancer location, size, extent and overall patient’s fitness.

No other provider is offering histotripsy in the UK at the moment.

We recommend patients speak to their consultant if they have any questions about being referred for treatment. If you already have a referral, and have further questions for the Cambridge team, please email cuh.histotripsyenquiries@nhs.net.  

ACT thanks its Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year nominee – we couldn’t be prouder of you Liza!

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

She may not have gone through to the finals – but we couldn’t be more proud of her!

Liza Putwain, our nominee for this year’s ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year, may not have gone through to the finals of this year’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2025 – but we couldn’t be prouder of her and everything she has achieved!

As one of only four stories to be put through from the hundreds originally nominated, Liza Putwain’s story talks of resilience and strength – and thinking of others whilst battling life’s challenges herself.

In true Liza style, our amazing fundraiser from Suffolk contacted the winners from her region, Anglia East, to congratulate them on going through to next month’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain finals telling them she was glad they won.

Shelly Thake, Chief Executive of the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), described 45-year-old Liza Putwain as ‘truly special’ and thanked her for everything she has done for the hospital charity.

“She may not have got through to the finals but as a charity we could not be prouder of everything Liza and her family have achieved. As is evident from hearing Liza’s family, friends, and Mark, her surgeon, and meeting her several times myself, she is a truly special person and inspiration to her family and everyone she encounters.”

Judges in this year’s ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year Awards chose Liza as one of four nominees out of hundreds after reading her extraordinary story, saying: “Her kindness and care for others shone through in her nomination.”

Liza’s emotional story struck a chord with judges and was broadcast last week as one of four stories from the Anglia East region, which covers Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The winner was announced on Friday and will go through to the finals in London next month.

Liza, 45, a mother of three, broke her neck whilst taking part in an obstacle course in memory of her husband, Ian, who had died very suddenly after contracting a virus that all the family had had.

Following the accident in September 2023, Liza, a film studies teacher at Abbeygate Sixth Form College in Bury St Edmunds, was originally taken to Ipswich Hospital where she was told she had broken her neck and had suffered damage to her spinal cord. Not knowing if she would ever walk again, she was later transferred to Addenbrooke’s for her surgery and spent a month recovering in hospital.

Unable to move from her neck down, Liza had to rely on medical staff to do everything for her, from sitting her up in bed to prevent bed sores to scratching her nose to helping her into the shower and going to the toilet.

Apart from being terrified she might never walk again, Liza, a fiercely independent person, found it hard having to rely on others – but said it was her own personal experience of being in hospital that made her realise just how amazing staff are at Addenbrooke’s.

“You feel very infantilised because you have to ask someone to help you go to the toilet and wait until somebody’s ready to give you a shower. Particularly when you can’t get out of bed, and you press a button, but you have to wait. I know the NHS is overstretched but it’s not until you are actually in that bed that you realise that.”

As a result of her experiences, Liza decided to fundraise for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official hospital charity for Addenbrooke’s and stunned surgeons by running the London Marathon earlier this year – just over a year and a half after her accident.

ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and funds high-tech equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. This year the charity celebrates its 30th year – and has revealed that in the first 30 years alone its supporters have donated more than £150 million towards supporting innovation in patient care.

Talking about why Addenbrooke’s is so special to her and why she wanted to fundraise for ACT to give something back to the hospital, Liza said: “I love Addenbrooke’s. It’s weird because you could go one way or another, and you could be like, I never want to see that hospital again, but I feel so safe here.”

In last week’s emotional piece, on-screen reporter Andy Ward filmed Liza at home with her sister, Jo, and best friends Jo and Pennie – who helped look after Liza’s three young children – Ella, 18; Sophie, 14; and her son Charlie, 11 – whilst she was in hospital and were there for her during her recovery.

Andy also interviewed Liza’s surgeon, Professor Mark Kotter, a neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s (pictured below) who was visibly moved during the interview when talking about Liza and her recovery, showing just how close the bond can be between patients and surgeons. 

Shelly Thake, Chief Executive at ACT, congratulated Liza on her nomination and said: “Every single day at ACT, we get to hear amazing stories from our fundraisers – often very moving and inspirational stories about how they got to be involved in fundraising for Addenbrooke’s through our charity. Sometimes, however, there’s a really exceptional story that stops you in your tracks – and Liza’s is one of those.”

“I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have gone through what she has gone through – losing her husband unexpectedly after a brief illness and having to navigate that as a family with her three young children, then only to break her neck in a freak accident eight months later and not knowing if she would ever walk again or not. To go through all that and then get up and run the London Marathon the following year
 Liza really is a true inspiration for all of us and someone who fully deserved her nomination.”

ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year special was judged by former Olympian and discus champion Bill Tancred; ITV Anglia presenter David Whiteley and ITV Anglia’s Head of News Emma Baker.

Bronwen Brown, who produced the channel’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year special, said when choosing which of their fundraisers were picked for the special, and which ones later went through to the finals, judges were looking for “a fantastic fundraiser who has selflessly raised money for an amazing cause.”

“Liza was shortlisted as one of the finalists for the regional show because her story is incredible. She has gone through multiple hardships and still thinks about others before herself, raising thousands for ACT. Her kindness and care for others shone through in her nomination.”

Nominees from the Anglia East region who went through to the finals of next month’s Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards were parents Amanda and Jon Sheehy who lost their daughter Amber to a brain tumour in 2023, an hour before her ninth birthday. The couple founded Amber’s Army, raising over ÂŁ250,000 to help create memories for families with children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

ACT’s Chief Executive Shelly Thake speaking with Liza

Click here to watch Liza’s story again along with the other three nominees from the region, including Amanda and Jon Sheehy.

The finalist in the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards 2025 will be announced on the night, with the show broadcast live on ITV.

This year is now the second year running that some of our fundraisers have been nominated for ITV Anglia’s Regional Fundraiser of the Year. Last year, we had two nominees in both the East and West region, David Bateson and Joyce Cripps. To read their story, click here.

The heartbroken parents of a special little boy who ‘touched so many people’s lives’ have pledged to raise over £100,000 in his memory for the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital 

Posted on by Danni Smith

The mum and stepdad of a special little boy who ‘touched so many people’s lives’ have pledged to raise over £100,000 in his memory after he died from a rare incurable disease, aged 11, in September last year. 

Elliott-James Heslop, or Elliott as he was known to family and friends, was diagnosed with a rare, incurable disease called TTC7A deficiency when he was just three months old; a condition that causes diarrhoea, inflammation of the intestines, bowel obstructions, immune dysfunction, and an inability to absorb nutrients.   

He had his first surgery at just a few hours old and underwent multiple surgeries to try and fix strictures in his bowel. Unfortunately, these were unsuccessful, and Elliott had to have an Ileostomy. Unable to absorb nutrients in the usual way, Elliott was TPN-dependent from birth, meaning artificial nutrients were given to him via a central line called a Hickman Line.  

Elliott spent the first eleven months of his life in hospital and at just eight months old underwent a bone marrow transplant at Great Ormond Street Hospital. 

His condition meant that when he was at his worst, he couldn’t walk very far as it affected his bone density and muscle mass. It also prevented him from joining a football team or going on school residentials. It also restricted what Elliott was able to do in a day as he would need to be home at certain times for his TPN treatment, which also meant the family were not able to go abroad. However, mum Kayleigh Eley and husband, Ross, Elliott’s stepdad, from Cambourne in Cambridgeshire, said Elliott loved trips to caravan parks – and said he went swimming for the first time last year after finding out about a special wetsuit he could wear in the water. 

Despite the impact of his condition, Kayleigh and Ross said Elliott never moaned. 

“He would have his moments like with football, where he would say I wish I could play football, but it would only be the odd comment now and then. He never moaned, he just got on with it,” Kayleigh said. 

Although they always knew Elliott’s condition was incurable, Kayleigh said it was still a shock when he died.

“Even though you know it’s not curable you just kind of live every day and go with it. But we didn’t expect him to go downhill as quickly as he did.” 

It was in December 2023, that Elliott caught the flu, which impacted his liver and meant he needed to be assessed for transplant again. Kayleigh and Ross were told Elliott would be listed for a multi-visceral transplant, but ten days later after Elliott’s condition worsened, he was rushed back into hospital with painful pancreatitis and in July last year, the family were given the devastating news that Elliott’s condition could no longer be treated. Sadly, Elliott passed away in September.   

Kayleigh and Ross, who have three-year-old daughter, Maddison, together, and Scarlett, 15, and Florence, 7, both from previous relationships, set about fundraising to create some special memories with Elliott before his death as well as raise money for the Cambridge Children’s Hospital (CCH), through Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT).  

The Cambridge Children’s Hospital is set to be built by 2030 and will be the first specialist children’s hospital for the East of England; the only region in the UK without one. Bringing together clinical excellence from two NHS Trusts with pioneering research from the University of Cambridge, the new five-storey 35,000sqm hospital will be based at the heart of the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Europe’s largest biomedical campus.   

After writing to Elliott’s favourite football team, West Ham, every day for three months, Ross finally got lucky and both he, Elliott and Scarlett were invited down to West Ham for a training session with the players, where Elliott got to meet one of his favourites, James Ward-Prowse, and walk onto the field as a team mascot.  

Ross – who came into Elliott’s life at six years old – describes himself as a ‘bonus dad’ rather than stepdad and said: “I feel really privileged to have had Elliott in my life. He’s like the son I never had.” 

Kayleigh describes her son as “cheeky, funny, very caring and very sensitive” adding, “So many people have said to me how he really touched their lives. I know he’s amazing because he’s my child and I know how great he is, but he did, he really touched other people’s lives.” 

As for how they are, Ross says: “I don’t think I have accepted it yet because I don’t want to. The worst thing about it is, is that life just keeps on going on around you. It’s the worst pain ever. I’d rather someone chopped off my legs than this. Elliott was my bonus child and the way I feel is the worst feeling ever.” 

Mum Kayleigh said: “People think you are ok but we have to be because we have our other kids. But I still expect to see him sometimes. Sometimes you look and think he is going to be there.” 

Ross said he came off Facebook for six months after Elliott’s death because he found all the memories too painful and says: “Every day is different. Every hour is different.” 

The couple say they remember Elliott as the cheeky little boy who would play pranks on his family, including the time he hid inside Scarlett’s wardrobe and started playing with the LED lights on her ceiling before jumping out to scare her. 

Kayleigh also speaks movingly about Elliott’s best friend who keeps a picture of Elliott in his bedroom and a candle to remember him by and when he has had a bad day, will still call Elliott’s phone to leave a message.  

Ross and Kayleigh say the number eleven has come up a lot in their lives – both before, and since, Elliott’s death aged eleven. When Ross completed a charity walk from his home in Cambourne to the West Ham grounds they arrived at 11am. West Ham also honoured Elliott’s memory by clapping him during a game at the eleventh minute and after moving house recently, they moved to number eleven, with Ross saying – “Elliott will never leave us. Not in a million years.” 

The couple have pledged to raise ÂŁ100,000 for the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital, through Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) as a way of thanking Addenbrooke’s for the amazing care Elliott received since birth – describing his consultant, Dr Camilla Salvestrini, as “amazing”.  

Although their target is ÂŁ100,000, Kayleigh and Ross are hoping to boost their target to ÂŁ125,000 so that they can fully equip one of the rooms within the Cambridge Children’s Hospital and have it named after Elliott. 

“We’d love to have something named after Elliott in his memory,” said Kayleigh, “and know that we helped fund something that would be for the whole community. It’s raising money for the next generation of children and supporting all the families that will be going there.” 

Fundraising efforts so far have included the walk from their home in Cambourne to the West Ham football grounds; a children’s sponsored swim; a 30th tea party in July to celebrate ACT’s 30th and a 72-hole golf challenge at Cambridge Country Club earlier this month, with a 9-hole lesson donated by PGA Professional Joel Rickard.  

Ross’ next challenge will be this September, when he and his boss will complete the walk along Hadrian’s Wall over three days, setting out on the 11th. 

Click here to donate to Elliott’s page.

ACT celebrates 30-years of fundraising

Posted on by Danni Smith

A much-loved hospital charity whose supporters have fundraised more than ÂŁ150 million towards supporting innovation in patient care for Addenbrooke’s in the first 30-years of its life has pledged to be even more ambitious in years to come.  

This year, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) celebrates its 30th birthday – with a special look back at some of the ground-breaking projects it has funded.  

Ruth standing in front of Bus

ACT is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals in Cambridge and funds high-tech equipment, specialist staff, extra comforts and vital research above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide.  

Since April 2025 alone, ACT has invested over ÂŁ1 million in a range of projects – supporting everything from cutting-edge research and AI, to rehab, mental health and wellbeing, hospital environments, and even family fun days. Since fundraising began 30 years ago, the charity has funded an impressive list of projects, mainly state-of-the-art equipment and vital research. 

The charity’s impact stretches far beyond Cambridge and the East of England – funding early research that impacts beyond Addenbrooke’s. Funding comes not just from fundraisers but from individual donors as well as other sources such as grants and legacies.  

Pledging to continue the charity’s impressive 30 years of impact to date, ACT’s Chief Executive, Shelly Thake, said: “It is amazing to think how far we have come as a charity since our beginning thirty years ago.”

“We were forged out of a hugely successful community fundraising group and it was the forward thinking of this group of fundraisers that brought us to where we are today after they decided that the people of Cambridge deserved the best medical diagnostics and fundraised for the first whole body CT and MRI scanner here in the city. We really do owe them so much – and would not be here today if it were not for their passion and determination.” Read more of their story here.

“We see these same qualities in all our supporters and fundraisers today who work so tirelessly, with such passion and dedication. We are incredibly proud to be part of ACT and will be forever grateful for the support of all our donors and fundraisers who help to make lives better not just for patients but also staff too.” 

“We have achieved so much in the first 30 years of our life and we have even bigger ambitions for the next 30 years and beyond – including our capital campaign to build two new hospitals on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, both of which are a first for the East of England – the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) and the Cambridge Children’s Hospital (CCH) which will be the first children’s hospital in the world to fully integrate physical and mental wellbeing as part of patient care.” 

Roland Sinker, CBE, Chief Executive of Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) (pictured right), thanked ACT and all its supporters for their hard work and achievements over the past 30 years. 

“I always think of ACT and its supporters as the silent hero because whilst all of us here at the hospital are aware of, and incredibly grateful for, its financial support, to a patient coming to Addenbrooke’s or the Rosie for the first time, they wouldn’t necessarily be aware of how much the charity and its supporters have done to change not just patient experience at the hospital, but staff experience too.” 

“They have helped fund groundbreaking research which has benefitted patients across the world and provided high-tech equipment which has provided earlier diagnoses and less invasive treatments, saving lives and thousands of pounds for the NHS as well as helping to cut waiting times.” 

“The reality is that every donation made to ACT, no matter how big or small, has a direct impact on staff and patients. So for anyone who has made, or will be making, a donation to the charity that is so close to our hearts, I would like to say a special thank you. Please know that every donation makes a difference.” 

This year, to help ACT celebrate its 30th anniversary, the charity is asking supporters, new and old, to raise a cup (not glass!) and host a tea party for Addenbrooke’s.

Businesses in Cambridge and surrounding areas, served by Addenbrooke’s, are also jumping on board the birthday celebrations by launching their own special products to mark ACT’s 30th.  

Iconic Cambridge institution and bakery Fitzbillies, famous for its Chelsea Buns, launched ACT’s 30th celebrations at their tearooms in Trumpington Street. 

Co-owners Tim Hayward, a food critic and broadcaster, and partner Alison Wright, who won a lifetime achievement award in the Cambridge Independent Business Awards 2024 for rescuing the 104-year-old iconic bakery and cafe, put their weight behind ACT’s 30th because of the ‘world-class’ care Tim received after being admitted to Addenbrooke’s following a medical emergency back in Covid. 

Tim was admitted to hospital in November 2020 with COVID-19 and required treatment using a ventilator and suffered a pulmonary embolism. He was discharged after a month, having spent 14 days in a coma, and later described himself as “lucky to have lived” saying: “I wouldn’t be here without the excellent staff and support of the hospital. Thank goodness for world-class care and the fantastic work of ACT. Long may it continue.” 

Fitzbillies has dedicated a special window display in their Trumpington Street tearooms and during ACT’s birthday month of July, will donate ÂŁ1 to the charity for every ACT chocolate cupcake sold and 20% from sales from their special afternoon and cream tea packs. 

Another Cambridge favourite – Jack’s Gelato – has created a brand-new flavour of gelato to mark the special occasion. Apple Caramel Tart – representing each first letter of ACT’s name. The special flavour can be purchased online during ACT’s birthday month of July with ÂŁ4 from every pint sale donated to ACT. Orders will be available for collection 10am-11pm from the Bene’t St shop between Monday August 18th and Friday August 22nd and 9am-11am on Saturday 23rd. 

Business owner Jack Van Praag, who sells between 10,000 and 30,000 scoops of gelato a week, said: “We are helping ACT because we believe in the incredible work they do to support patients and their families at Addenbrooke’s. We are proud to contribute to their 30th-anniversary celebrations with a special flavour and donation from every tub sold.” 

Hospital staff will get to celebrate ACT’s 30th with their annual staff BBQ on July 2nd, a milestone which this year they share with the Royal Papworth Charity.   

  • If you would like to fundraise for ACT and host a tea party for Addenbrooke’s, you can order your pack here.
  • Afternoon tea party items from the ‘Addenbrooke’s collection’ can be found here.
  • Click here if you would like to donate to ACT 

History of ACT

ACT was born out of two existing charities dating back to the 1990s.  

In 1995, gifts and legacies which had been donated to Addenbrooke’s Hospital over the years were registered with the Charity Commission and managed by the hospital trust as The Addenbrooke’s Charities. Two years later, a new charity called The Fund for Addenbrooke’s was established to raise funds to support the hospital.

In 2005, independent trustees were appointed for ACT with assets from both The Addenbrooke’s Charities and The Fund for Addenbrooke’s transferring to the new trustees, thereby establishing ACT as a charity.                

ACT encourages people who have lost loved ones to remember them with a special walking event in May

Posted on by Danni Smith

ACT is encouraging those who have lost loved ones to remember them by taking part in a special fundraising event throughout the month of May. 

Walk to Remember encourages those who have lost someone close to them to walk 30 miles in their memory. 

“It can be anywhere from a walk in one of your favourite places – to somewhere that holds special memories of your loved one,” said Emily Willdigg, Community Relationships Manager at Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT). 

Explaining why the event was so special for people, Emily said: “Losing someone you love, whether it’s a husband, wife, child, parent, grandparent or friend, is such a hard thing to go through and often one of the things people find the hardest is being able to talk about their loss afterwards. Even if they have people close to them that they can talk to, there are always going to be those times when the experience of losing someone can feel very sad and isolating.” 

“With Walk to Remember, what we really want to do is to be able to give people that special way to remember the person they have lost and acknowledge the imprint that that person has left on their heart.” 

Funds raised from Walk to Remember will go to Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the official charity for Addenbrooke’s and the Rosie hospitals that funds cutting-edge equipment, groundbreaking research, and improvements to the environment for both staff and patients, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. 

Anyone who takes part in Walk to Remember is being asked to raise a suggested minimum sponsorship of ÂŁ150. In addition to this, walkers can post a special message on a dedication wall on the charity’s website – allowing them to post photos with special messages to their loved ones. 

“The dedication wall is such a lovely way for people to really honour and remember the person they lost and to share those lasting memories of the person they love,” Emily added. 

One of the fundraisers who took part in the event last year, and posted a memory of her husband Jonathan, was Rachael Tuley-Auld, from Cambridge.  

“I decided to take part in last year’s Walk to Remember, to pay tribute to my beloved late husband Jonathan. So many Addenbrooke’s staff, who cared for Jonathan over the 13 months he battled to recover, were truly remarkable. We were married in the Lewin Rehabilitation Unit, shortly before he died, so the hospital will be forever close to my heart.” 

“Walking over a mile each day enabled me to reflect on and honour his memory, whilst raising funds for Addenbrooke’s. Highlights included following the Dinky Door trail around Cambridge, as well as seeking out the giraffe installations dotted around the city.” 

To register for your place in this year’s Walk to Remember now, visit:  www.act4addenbrookes.org.uk/events/walk-to-remember 

To view the dedication wall, visit: https://act.dedicationpage.org/walktoremember 

Former cancer patient to run sixty miler from Swavesey to Spurs ground to raise funds for Addenbrooke’s cancer services

Posted on by Danni Smith

A former cancer patient who has spent over twenty years completing challenges after being given the all-clear following his testicular cancer diagnosis is now set to complete his latest challenge – an ‘ultra’ 62 mile-run from his home in Swavesey in Cambridgeshire to the football grounds of Tottenham Hotspur in London. 

Sean Papworth, 50, an avid Spurs fan, will complete what he is calling the ‘Swavesey to Spurs SIXTY Miler’ with his godson Max Rose, 22, an avid Liverpool fan – with both men intending to cross the finishing line in each of their team’s strip. 

Setting off from The Green in Swavesey on Saturday 26th April, the pair – who only recently completed the Cambridge Half Marathon – will not only cross the line in two different football strips but will arrive a day before the two Premier League Teams are set to play each other.  

Covering a total of 62 miles, Sean and Max will follow a route running along paths and through villages parallel to the A10. Friends and family will follow in a support vehicle with others on bikes. Setting off at six in the morning, with just a few stops along the way for food, the pair are expected to take between 12 and 15 hours to reach their destination.  

Describing the ultra as ‘unchartered territory in running’ for him, Sean said; “I am going to have to dig deep to achieve this. It’s going to be a tough run. Just training doing 19 miles, I can feel it in my legs.” 

Sean, who has completed numerous fundraising challenges since being given the all-clear from testicular cancer 20 years ago, is hoping to raise over two and a half thousand pounds for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust as well as mental health charity Mind, as a way of thanking staff at Addenbrooke’s who treated both him, and his dad, who sadly died from bowel cancer when Sean was just 12 years old. 

Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) is the official charity for Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie and funds cutting-edge equipment, groundbreaking research, and improvements to the environment for both staff and patients, above and beyond what the NHS is able to provide. 

Sean was diagnosed with testicular cancer back in 2003 when he was just 28. He had two baby girls at the time and, as a joiner, had just set up his business making staircases. He said his wife, Kelly, had to bring the girls up while he was undergoing treatment, which involved surgery followed by intense rounds of chemo. His cancer then spread and surgeons had to cut open his stomach to remove a lot of lymph nodes.  

He was given the all-clear a year later and went on to have a boy, completing his family of three: his eldest daughter Nevie, now 25; middle daughter Teagan, 22, and son Dexter, 18. 

But despite his own battle with cancer, Sean said it was losing his dad from bowel cancer when he was just 12 years old that left the biggest imprint on his life. 

He says the nod to mental health is his acknowledgement of how tough it was to lose his dad. He says while he can talk very openly about his own cancer, he found it really hard to talk about his dad growing up, and counselling later in life really helped him. 

“My dad had bowel cancer and it was very quick. I remember him being ill in the September and him coming out of hospital in the December. I remember my mum telling me it was terminal and that he had come home because he didn’t want to be in hospital when he died and then we lost him in the January.”

“As much as my cancer was hard, the toughest thing I’ve ever had to go through was losing my dad.”

“I used to clam up about my dad especially. I think because I was such a young age. But then I had some counselling, when I was about 20, and then some more a couple of years ago. As the years have gone by, I’ve talked about it but at the same time put a bit of a brave face on and just sort of taken it in my stride rather than actually going, ‘that was quite a big thing that happened to me.”

Describing cancer as a ‘horrible, cruel disease’, Sean says he had to turn to counselling again more recently after reaching middle age and losing other friends to cancer as well as a close friend to suicide last year. 

“I just think when you get to this age you evaluate things a lot more. I had a couple of years where everything was happening at once and it sort of took its toll.” 

Since his recovery Sean has set himself numerous challenges including biking from the UK to Sweden; completing Lands End to John o’Groats; running the London Marathon last year and the Cambridge Half Marathon this year, along with the 2025 Paris Marathon – with the grand finale (for now!) the ‘Swavesey to Spurs SIXTY Miler’.  

Sean says all of the challenges he has set himself are a nod to those who have not made it through their treatment and says: “I’m still here and I’m still fine. That’s why I am doing this run, not just to raise money but to prove I can and because I’m alive and just the fact that a lot of people don’t come out of hospital alive.”  

Recalling his time on the ward, Sean says he remembers a 13-year-old being treated for cancer – “which was really humbling” – and a man around his own age, who also had testicular cancer and had the same operation as him.  

“He later died and I remember his wife messaging me to say that they had lost him and that’s why I do everything I do. It’s in memory of all those people who haven’t made it, not the people who do. To me, if you’ve had cancer and got through it then you have to do something good with that.” 

He also remembers his eldest daughter coming to see him in hospital when she was only three.

“I remember seeing her little face coming into the ward. Her face dropped when she saw me, and things like that really stick with you.”

But as hard as his experiences have been, Sean says remembering how lucky he is helps him to keep going.

“Everyone gets low moments in their life and you can’t always snap out of them quickly but when you get into a better place you can tell yourself not to feel sorry for yourself because there are lots of people going through awful things like cancer, including little children. You can have a moan and feel sorry for yourself but that’s the slap on the face you need to keep going.” 

Sean will start the run from his home in Swavesey to Tottenham Hotspur football grounds in an ACT t-shirt but plans to have several t-shirt changes along the way, including a couple of shirts he is having designed with his sponsors’ names on. However, he plans to cross the finishing line in his Tottenham Hotspur shirt. Max – who is the son of his close friend Simon, whose kids have all grown up together – will be wearing his Liverpool strip.  

Asked how he thought they would both manage the run, Sean said: “Max is more than half my age and a lot fitter than me but he’s never done a marathon before so I’ve got that over him because I’ve had that experience. As far as rivalry goes though, it only goes as far as our football teams, not the run. We are going to need to have each others’ backs for this run and be strong for each other.”   

Cambridge is set to have its own cancer research hospital, to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus by 2029. The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital (CCRH) will be the first specialist cancer hospital for the East of England. It will bring together clinical and research expertise under one roof – allowing clinicians to detect cancer earlier, treat it more precisely and save more lives.

*** Sean will be auctioning off a Tottenham Hotspur pennant signed by some of the current squad – and anyone wanting to donate to his fundraising page, or sponsor him ÂŁ200 for a logo on his running shirts – should go to Sean’s Give Wheel page at: https://www.givewheel.com/fundraising/5937/sean  

Addenbrooke’s Paediatric Oncology nurse runs Cambridge Half to raise awareness of hospital that treated her as a child

Posted on by sarah.rastrick@act4addenbrookes.org.uk

A Paediatric Oncology nurse working back on the ward that looked after her when she had leukaemia as a child is to run this year’s TTP Cambridge Half Marathon to raise awareness of the charity that raises funds for the hospital where she now works.

Molly Shelley, 22, a paediatric oncology nurse at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) when she was just three years old.

Diagnosed in the May of 2006, her parents had taken her to the GP and A&E on many occasions over a period of several months trying to work out what was wrong with her after the toddler started suffering from unexplained symptoms including leg pain, uncontrollable high temperatures and constant ear infections.

Molly would also bruise really easily and had all the typical rashes as well as a distended stomach prior to treatment.

Tests revealed Molly (pictured right with her sister, Daisy) had 95% leukaemia cells in her bone marrow so underwent an intense programme of six weeks of aggressive chemotherapy, which luckily put her into remission. After that she was put on a two-year treatment plan consisting of ongoing chemotherapy, lumbar punctures and blood transfusions before being given the all-clear, aged five.

Asked what she remembers, Molly said: “I’m very grateful and lucky to say that I only have positive memories of what was obviously, a very difficult time. So I feel really grateful for that.”

“The limited memories I do have are of the nurses and my time on the ward – but as a kid, not as a poorly patient. Those memories are of being with my nurses or playing with them. I remember being in my hospital bed one time with my dad, watching a film, and the nurse came in to take a blood test and I just stuck my arm out. They didn’t have to say a word.”

Molly said it was her experience as a child which pushed her into the nursing profession – “My mum always said it was weird that I felt so comfortable in a hospital. Now I couldn’t even imagine myself doing another job.”

Having graduated from University in December, Molly interviewed for her current role in January. Her interviewer was the ward manager when Molly was being treated for Leukaemia and Molly says she now knows four members of staff who were working on the ward when she was a child.

“I definitely wouldn’t be nursing now it if wasn’t for me having leukaemia as a child,” she said. “But I see it as a positive as it has made me who I am today. It’s driven me into this career and made me do things I wouldn’t have done otherwise.”

“Obviously it affected my parents a lot more than me and now when I am on the ward I think more about my parents in that situation than myself.”

“If I’m speaking to the families, I am always thinking about how I interact with the parents. I just think, ‘how would I want my parents to have received this?’ and that’s how I go about it.”

Molly’s Leukaemia obviously had a a big impact on all her family. Her dad, Paul, had to give up his job at the time to care for Molly; her mum, Alison, who works in HR, went to work in the NHS after Molly’s recovery and now works for a genomics company, and sister Daisy, now studies BioMed science.

Molly is running the London Marathon in April, raising money for Leukaemia UK and Blood Cancer UK, who the family raised money for 20 years ago.

She opted to run the Cambridge Half Marathon for Addenbrooke’s official charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), after getting her place in the ballot in this year’s half and said: “I just knew as soon as I got the place it would be so special to me to be running around the city that we are based in and to be able to run for the charity of the hospital I was a patient in. It feels very special and fitting – a full-circle kind of moment because 20 years ago I was a patient on the ward I am now a nurse on.”

Molly has decided to share her story now to help other families going through the same thing.

“The reason I am sharing my story now is I just hope to show parents that me having Leukaemia shows I am living proof that there is light at the end of what can be a very dark tunnel. I just want to give them hope.”

Asked how she finds working with kids, she said: “Kids are just so resilient, you wouldn’t know they were unwell. They all have a smile on their face, they laugh with you, dance with you, they are just incredible. They are living life to the best of their ability.”

She said ward staff organise a mini disco in the corridors once a week to get everyone together and said it was one such special moment that really hit home with her.

“I’d come out of the staff room and saw all the kids had come out of their rooms and the staff had put on a bit of a mini disco in the corridor of the ward. They were all stood there with their drip stands and pumps, with all their wires and everything, and the staff were dancing with them. There was music on a speaker and a little disco ball and some lights and they were all stood in a circle holding hands, dancing – the parents, kids and staff. And it’s in that split second where you are like, ‘This is what it is all about. This is why I do this job. The kids are just incredible.”

If you have been inspired by Molly’s story and would like to make a donation to ACT, please click here.

An entire village in Norfolk fundraising for Addenbrooke’s described as ‘one of a kind’

Posted on by Danni Smith

An entire village whose residents have thrown themselves into a year’s worth of fundraising for Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge has been praised for being ‘one of a kind.’ 

Paul Wilby, from Denton in Norfolk, launched his fundraising appeal in January to raise money for Addenbrooke’s Hospital, via Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), as well as Papworth Hospital, after his son became ill with an undiagnosed condition. 

Ben, 34, had been suffering with severe breathlessness for about three years, and had to stop a couple of times to catch his breath every time he climbed a flight of stairs. However, after being encouraged by a paramedic, who had been called out to his home, to keep investigating his condition, Ben was found to have something called Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension caused by blood clots on his lungs. 

He underwent a lifesaving procedure known as a Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty at Papworth Hospital where a balloon was used to push scar tissue to one side, allowing the blood to flow properly again, which returned Ben’s breathing to normal. 

Since starting their fundraising earlier this year, the villagers of Denton have raised just shy of ÂŁ2,000 with events including Easter Bingo; a Tractor Run; Party on the Meadow; Walking Football; and a Plough Day, where 45 tractors from neighbouring villages drove to Hardwick Airfield before returning to Denton to plough five fields in the village. 

Paul White, Director of Communications and Impact at ACT, said: “In all the 20 years I have been working in the charity sector, I don’t think I have ever heard of a whole village mucking in and fundraising like this. It’s only a small village but for everyone to get involved in this way is amazing. Denton really is one of a kind.” 

Fundraiser Paul, a builder who also runs a self-catering accommodation at his home in the village, has lived in Denton for eight years, and said: “It’s like going back 50 years here. Everyone helps everyone else out. If you want or need anything, someone in the village will help. It is a proper community.” 

His wife, Karen, who has lived in the village for nearly 30 years, said: “Literally everybody in the village has been involved with fundraising. Everyone. Everyone comes along and supports things and will chuck money in a pot and if they can’t come, they’ll come and see us and say, ‘sorry we can’t make it but here’s ÂŁ20.’ So if they’re not involved in volunteering, they’re involved by supporting it, giving money or donating raffle prizes. But that’s the type of place Denton is. People keep an eye on each other which is how it should be.” 

The village, which has a population of 326, runs a monthly dinner night and lunch club for residents and also opens up its village hall every Friday night as a social club.  

However, Paul’s latest fundraising venture could cause a few blushes outside the village – with the production of their very own Full Monty-style calendar, where fifteen of the local male residents volunteered to pose naked, with strategically placed items protecting their dignity, all for charity. 

Paul said the recruits came via the village’s Google Group Chat – with photos from the calendar revealed at a special gala night in the village on November 2nd.

He said the calendar doesn’t come with a warning on the front – only with a note at the back to say ‘no Dream Boys or animals were injured during the filming of this calendar’ – but Paul says the front cover ‘gives you a gist of what to expect inside.’ 

Willing contributors include March’s ‘Naked Gardener’ whose dignity is protected by a pitchfork; April’s ‘Rocking Ricky’ who climbed a hay bale to pose naked with a guitar; and Paul himself, who despite being married to Karen, features as July’s ‘Hilary’s Hunk’. 

Explaining the name, Paul said it relates to one of the more memorable moments from the photo shoots.  

“It was my job on all the photo shoots to stand guard to prevent any embarrassing moments with the public walking into a field where we were taking photos. But on my photo shoot, this lady walked into the field to tell us our donkeys had escaped and saw me naked. Luckily she was a retired nurse so had seen it all before, but literally the only thing I was holding in my hand was a chicken so we decided to call my photo Hilary’s Hunk after her.” 

Paul’s wife, Karen, also features on the back of the calendar fully dressed but rounding up the chickens and sheep for Paul’s photo. “But as you know, that doesn’t really work with animals, so we had quite a few laughs doing the shoot,” Paul said. 

All the photos were taken by village resident Mark Richards, a retired Daily Mail photographer who moved to the village three years ago.  

“Everyone in Denton has welcomed us with open arms,” Mark said, adding: “As for the calendar, it has been an absolute ball. I’ve seen more naked men in the last six months than I have my entire life and there were no shrinking violets!”

Asked if the calendar was a reflection of how much fun Denton was as a village, Paul’s wife Karen said: “Life in Denton is as close to the Vicar of Dibley as you can get. They’re all nutcases here, every one of them!” 

Apart from the bloopers on the back of the calendar, other humorous touches include a photo of one of the oldest residents who at 82 volunteered a little late, so was put in  stocks, with the caption – ‘This is what happens when you don’t get your pants off!” 

Paul hopes to boost the fundraising tally with ticket sales from the gala night – which was sold out – along with sales of the calendar. His son, Ben, did a talk on the night before the big reveal when all the residents got to see the calendar for the first time.

Fundraising will finish with Christmas Bingo in December and a fundraising raffle for ACT at a speed dating event in the village the same month. 

Asked what’s next, Paul replied: “The girls are talking about doing a calendar next year along the lines of what we’ve done, but who knows.” 

Five hundred copies of the Denton Dream Boys calendar have been printed off, with 143 pre-orders already. Copies of the now-famous calendar (as featured on ITV and BBC Breakfast) cost ÂŁ15 on ebay and can be ordered here.

Paul’s Just Giving Page can be found here: . Crowdfunding to donate to Addenbrookes and Papworth Hospital on JustGiving.