£20,000 donation provides a quieter facility for breast screening in Ivybridge

The provision of the mobile breast screening service in Ivybridge has been given a boost thanks to the people of Devon and Cornwall who generously support the locally-based breast care charity, The Primrose Foundation.

Recent donations to The Primrose Foundation have funded a new electrical landline for the mobile screening unit when it next goes to Ivybridge. This means the unit will no longer need to be run off a generator, which can be noisy, can cause lots of vibrations and be very difficult for people attending for screening, and will instead now be powered by a dedicated electrical landline.

The Primrose Foundation and Ivybridge Rotary Club donation “We are extremely grateful to The Primrose Foundation and the support of the local Rotary Club for funding the landline project in Ivybridge,” expresses Lucille Richmond, Lead Radiographer at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.

“Moving to the landline will help improve the environment by creating a quieter and calmer space for all the ladies invited and staff alike.”

The total cost for this project is over £20,000 and the monies for this were raised from various charity events, sponsored fundraising and from generous donations made to the Foundation from across the community, including the Ivybridge Rotary Club.

Mr Brian Carlyon, the President of the Club, described: “Each year the President of a Rotary club has the honour of choosing two specific charities to support in his/her year in addition to supporting other requests from our local communities.

“This year, as President, it has been my privilege to choose two charities close to my heart, The Primrose Foundation and the Chestnut Appeal. These are both local charities which touch so many lives within our community and as Rotary exists to support the local community it was an easy choice to make.

“The breast screening unit, for which the Primrose Foundation is providing a landline, is situated very close to our headquarters at the Watermark in Ivybridge, so this only enhances our interest in supporting this very worthy charity.”

Madeleine Matthews, Fundraising Co-ordinator for the Primrose Foundation added: “It’s incredibly important to us that every single person who has taken the time to support us, knows just how truly grateful we are – without them, the Foundation would not continue. To those who have run a marathon, climbed a mountain, shaved their hair, held a bingo or quiz night or simply put some pennies in one of our collection tins, your generosity never seizes to amaze us. Please continue to support us in any way you can – get in touch if you need ideas, we’d love to hear from you.”

More than 60 women a day will be invited for screening at the mobile screening unit in Ivybridge, between November 2018 and February 2019.

The Primrose Foundation is a registered charity based at Derriford Hospital working in partnership with University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. If you would like more information about donating or fundraising for the Primrose Foundation please contact Madeleine on madeleine@primrosefoundation.org