Staff at a Wimborne business have raised more than £1,000 for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity - and every penny raised will go towards the Ladybird Breast Unit at Poole Hospital.

Funeral Director Amy Turvey and colleagues at Douch & Small funeral directors carried out a number of events to raise the money. The business is part of Douch Family Funeral Directors that has seven branches across east Dorset and raises money for many causes.

A cheque for £1,089 was presented to Hayley Harris, corporate fundraiser for the charity.

Amy, whose mother Jan was treated at the clinic after being diagnosed with breast cancer and who is now in remission, led the effort.

Her fiancée Robert Atkins and his friend Andy Forrest cycled from Wimborne to Bristol and back again to help raise the money. Other events included raffles and skittles evenings.

Amy said:

“The Ladybird clinic was brilliant for mum and diagnosed her on the same day she had the test. Treatment was excellent and now she is in remission and we wanted to give something back."

“As a company we do a lot of fundraising for local charities and my colleagues really got behind the effort. Every year about 11,500 women and 85 men die from breast cancer so getting diagnosed early is very important.”

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity’s Corporate Fundraiser, Hayley Harris, received a cheque for £1,089 and said:

“We are extremely grateful to Amy and the staff at Douch & Small who raised such an amazing amount."

“We can work with the team on the Ladybird Unit to use the funds towards items they need that are over and above NHS funding. Most of all, we are thrilled to hear Jan is in remission. Go Jan. “