THE family of a former Ribble Valley nurse who died of breast cancer have raised more than £1,500 for the NHS team who helped care for her during lockdown.

Violet ‘Vi’ Robson, of Sabden, passed away on Good Friday aged 76 after a 17-year battle against the disease.

Her daughter Jacqui, husband Mark Ashton and daughter Bethany, all of Sabden, along with son James Haworth and his partner Danni Davies, from Clitheroe, undertook a rigorous fitness challenge to raise cash for the specialist palliative care team at Accrington Victoria Community Hospital.

They did 56 minutes of high-intensity workouts for 56 consecutive days - including 56 squats, burpees, push-ups and sit-ups, one for each year of Jacqui’s age.

The ‘56 for Vi’ challenge raised £1,549.75.

Jacqui, a lecturer at Nelson and Colne College, said: “Mum was a force to be reckoned with and was well-known as a former nurse.

“She battled cancer for 17 years and we will never forget her strength, which is why we took on a challenge to test our resilience.

“We wanted to do something to thank the specialist palliative care team for the support they gave us, while we looked after mum during lockdown.”

Denise Gee, fundraising manager for ELHT&Me, the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust’s charity, said: “We are delighted that Violet’s family has made such a significant contribution to our hospital charity in memory of their mum."

Mrs Robson was a specialist geriatric nurse, who worked at hospitals and nursing homes throughout East Lancashire, including Clitheroe Community Hospital, Accrington Victoria Community Hospital and the Hollies Nursing Home in Clayton-le-Moors, where she retired as matron in 2003.

A member of St Mary’s RC Church, Sabden, she is survived by her husband, Edward, daughters Jacqui and Theresa, and grandchildren James and Bethany.