I found this little cutting stashed away in some files I was sorting: I must have seen and labelled it after mum died. It’s probably from the Bradford Telegraph and Argus.

A quick search showed that Cllr. Coughlin served in 1981-2 so I’ve pinned the date down thus far. Mum had been diagnosed with cancer so it was a cause close to home in every way, which she supported. Dad did volunteer work with them until he died suddenly in 1984. The War on Cancer charity merged with the then Cancer Research Campaign in 1999, I think, then came under the umbrella of Cancer Research UK.

It’s not an earth-shattering piece of news or ephemera, but I thought it deserved to see the light of day 40-odd years on as a thanks to all the good souls who put time and energy into improving the treatment of cancer patients and enabling more research.

Arnold Moore, the Chairman, set up the charity in 1975 after his wife’s death from cancer. He died in 2010 having helped raise millions for the cause, aided by the many hard-working volunteers and helpers, some of whom are pictured here. It struck me that most of them probably underestimated the sheer power of ‘doing their bit’.

In the difficult times we find ourselves in today, it’s also a salutory reminder that there are still so many good and generous people out there ‘doing their bit’ in the medical field and in so many others, and who also probably don’t realise how those ‘bits’ all add up to make a real difference.

It’s important, too, in that it gives hope to those of us who sometimes despair at so much of the awful news – and people – we see around us. It is good and healing for the soul to see, appreciate and celebrate those (volunteers and workers alike) who choose to go out of their way to help others and strive to make their corner of the world a bit brighter and better.

Thank you, each and every one.