A STORTH mum-of-two and retired headteacher has received a cancer charity's highest accolade.

Alison Charlesworth is a former cancer patient herself and has put her personal experiences and her love of baking to charitable use by raising money for Rosemere Cancer Foundation. The charity has now named her its Volunteer of the Year for 2017.

Alison, the former head teacher of Storth CE Primary School, is passionate about telling people how much the charity helps cancer patients being treated at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital, Furness General Hospital in Barrow, and Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Through her work as an ambassador for Rosemere, Alison has talked to many groups such as WIs to help dispel the misconception that the charity is primary for people in Lancashire or even Preston.

"As a former patient of Rosemere Cancer Centre, I know the centre is our local specialist cancer treatment centre as much as it is the people of Lancashire’s," said Alison.

"While the foundation works to support the centre, it also works to fund projects that help cancer patients being treated at Westmorland and Furness General Hospitals and Lancaster Royal Infirmary. Getting this message across has become my mission."

The mother-of-two was treated for kidney cancer at the Rosemere Cancer Centre, Preston, and still visits yearly for check-ups. The centre provides all radiotherapy treatment for south Cumbria and Lancashire patients, as well as other specialised care.

Alison has raised money by hosting a pop-up café at Storth Village Hall, and with her fellow Dallam group members she arranges an annual afternoon tea there in May.

On Saturday, February 24, from 10am to noon, it will be the group's annual big jumble sale and coffee morning with lots of cakes.

Alison, who taught at Barrow’s Parkview School and Ulverston’s Croftlands Junior School, is also a member of Storth WI and part of the team running the village store and post office. Profits from the venture are shared among local charities and Alison regularly nominates Rosemere for a share.

Dan Hill, Rosemere's head of fundraising, said: “No one deserves this award more than Alison. She has worked tirelessly to support us for a number of years. Just as important as the money she has raised for us is the effort she has put in to making people in south Cumbria aware of the fact that we are their local cancer charity just as much as we are Lancashire’s."

For more on the charity, visit www.rosemere.org

Photo: Paul Holroyd presents Alison with her Rosemere Cancer Foundation Volunteer of the Year Award