A Uttoxeter charity is urging local men to sign up for its annual free prostate cancer testing campaign which this week received funding support from digger giant JCB.

The Rocester-based company, which also has three factories in Uttoxeter, donated £750 towards the charity’s annual testing event on Thursday June 4th at Oldfields Sports and Social Club.

This is the 13th time Uttoxeter Lions has put on the free testing event which over the years has seen thousands of local men take up the potentially life-saving opportunity. This year there are 600 free testing slots available.

The event kickstarts a weekend of fundraising celebrations on June 5th and 6th at the Party on the Pitch and Uttoxeter Beer and Cider Festival, with all proceeds going towards the £15,000 costs of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing campaign.

Uttoxeter Lions’ Vice President, Terry Adams, said:

“The test is just a simple blood test that is sent off for analysis by our partner the Graham Fulford Trust. Results are presented in a traffic light format. If it comes back green that’s fine, amber is ‘be careful and consult your GP if you have any unexplained symptoms’, and red is ‘go and see your doctor for further testing’.

“When I got a red result, my GP gave me a second test for confirmation, before referring me to hospital for further testing. Fortunately, my cancer is not very aggressive, so I am currently under active surveillance with my Urology consultant."

"I would urge everyone over 50 to take the test, because in the early stages you may have no symptoms of prostate cancer. Each year five per cent of the men we test need further tests or treatment. Some men with aggressive cancers run risk of dying if they are not treated."

“There is no government screening programme for prostate cancer and we believe that men, irrespective of their financial standing, should have access to this service. We are proud that over the years we have helped many men, who would otherwise have needed extensive treatment, major surgery, or could have died, had they not attended our event.”

Any men who are over the age of 50 from Uttoxeter and the surrounding area can book an appointment by visiting here. Tests are available, between 6pm and 9-30pm on Thursday June 4th, at Oldfields Sports and Social Club, Springfield Road. Attendance is by appointment only.