Real life superheroes have flown to the aid of children bereaved by cancer today by raising money for charity in Manchester today.
The #SuperheroDay initiative, set up by charity Cash for Kids, was backed by local radio station Key 103 who are aiming to raise funds for the Beechwood Cancer Care Centre in Stockport.
The centre provides counselling and support for families that have received a shock diagnosis of a terminal illness, and helps children through this difficult time.
Community and Volunteer Manager Lorraine Fairclough explained that fundraising days like this were ‘very important’ for Beechwood.
She said: “We are a small charity; we are a Stockport charity although we do see children and patients from all over the Greater Manchester area.
“So something like this today, because we are a small charity and don’t always get a lot of publicity, is a fantastic day for us.”
Donations will provide help for children in a variety of ways; from as little as £5 providing a box of bubbles to help release a child’s frustration, to £25,000 to hire a full-time bereavement counsellor.
Although fund-raising is the focus for the day, since the Family Services at the centre get no government funding, Lorraine explained that the day was really for the children.
“Superhero day is for children, you know dress down day and superhero days. Places of work are all doing the same thing, making cakes and all sorts of fund-raising events,” she said.
Store-manager Joanne Newall was on the streets fundraising in her Batman gear along with colleagues from Sainsbury’s, which has chosen Cash For Kids as their charity of the year.
She enthusiastically described Beechwood, telling MM: “It’s a really good charity; I’ve been down to the cancer care unit as well to have a look around it.
“It’s a really good place, and does some really good stuff.”
Key 103’s Cash for Kids Superhero Day has pledged to raise around £100k for Beechwood Cancer Care in the hope of supporting the charity for three years.