A CHARITY chief is planning to say a personal thank you to the members of an East Lancashire club who have raised more than £50,000 in 18 months.

Professor Gordon McVie, director general of the Cancer Research Campaign, will meet the ladies of the Ribble Valley Luncheon Club at the Stirk House Hotel, Gisburn, on Wednesday and thank them for their hard work raising funds for the charity's pioneering programme of research.

Professor McVie will speak at the club's regular lunch and will talk about recent advancements in cancer cures and the on-going need for research to improve cures further.

Karen Weaving, secretary of the luncheon club, said: "We feel extremely honoured to receive a visit from the director general himself. That's reflected in the ticket sales for this luncheon. It's a sell-out. All 2,00 places have been snapped up."

Professor McVie added: "These ladies have done outstandingly well to raise £50,000 in such a short space of time. They can rest assured that the Cancer Research Campaign will put that money to work developing new treatments and cures for a disease which affects four out of every 10 people. It's the least I can do to come along and say thank you."

The campaign is Britain's leading cancer charity and the European leader in the development of anti-cancer drugs. In the North West, the campaign is currently spending more than £8million supporting the research of 150 scientists.

The luncheon club emerged from a group of women who got together to put on the first Lancashire County Ball, which was held last year. Now the club has 325 members and more on a waiting list.

It holds regular luncheons with guest speakers as well as dinners which are open to men.

The club's next big event is the second Lancashire County Ball on March 25. There will be items of Diana, Princess of Wales memorabilia, donated by the former butler Paul Burrell, being auctioned. Anyone wanting tickets should contact Karen Weaving on 01200 445581.

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