Volunteers and staff at the Cancer Research Shop in Ross-on-Wye were delighted with the success of their recent recruitment day.

The shop needs to cover 144 volunteer hours to keep it open and running at similar times to other high street shops. They currently have 31 but thanks to the recruitment day that number looks set to increase considerably.

Area Manager Caroline Keech said she was really happy with the way people had come forward to help as cancer touches so many people’s lives.

Sian Wheelan, a research nurse, whose salary is paid for by the charity was able to talk to customers and potential volunteers about the work she does, on behalf of the charity on the frontline.

She told the Ross Gazette that she assists patients taking part in clinical trials, putting research into practice.

She said recent advances mean treatment is now tailored to suit individuals, and much more effective than it used to be, but of course it is more expensive.

Sian explained that this is why the fundraising carried out by volunteers is so important, becasue it funds specific scientific research as well as funding specialist cancer research nurses.

Currently, Sian is concerned with raising awareness of ‘cancers of unmet needs’. She told the Ross Gazette that these are the cancers where more research needs to be carried out and people need to become more aware of possible symptoms. These include cancer of the lungs, oesophagus and brain.

Louise Cossey, Manager of the Ross shop, said there are three ways people can help. She said: “People can shop from us, donate goods to us to sell and volunteer their time in the shops.”

The volunteers all work hard she said, and there are different tasks they can choose to do and they all get different benefits from volunteering. For some it is social, for others it improves their work prospects and for some it is because they can help the charity after they have lost a loved one.

To help Cancer Reasearch by shopping, donating or volunteering just call into the shop on Broad Street.