Community Awards: Services to Charity

Jun 17 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MARGARET REVITT

THE LOSS of her own mother to bowel cancer prompted Margaret Revitt to help others touched by the illness.

The Upperthong woman has devoted the last 20 years to helping people at Huddersfield Cancer Support and raising thousands for the cause.

Shortly after her mother died in 1986, Margaret answered a newspaper ad asking for help setting up a cancer support group in Huddersfield.

She helped launch the group with its founder, James Moran, who sadly died shortly afterwards.

Margaret gave up her job to extend her voluntary role as secretary for the group – based at Peregrine House at Brooks Yard off Market Street in Huddersfield town centre.

She now spends four days a week running various activities at the centre and works hard to find ways of raising the £12,500 needed to run the group each year.

Margaret said: “We aim to support anyone whose life has been touched by cancer.

“Following the death of my mother, I found that by talking to and helping others you also help yourself.

“We feel it’s beneficial for new cancer patients going through treatment to come along and talk to members who have gone through their treatment and survived, sometimes for many years.”

She was nominated by Alicia Barrett, who said: “Margaret has worked tirelessly for the charity for 20 years.

“Although the work is unpaid, she gives of her time unsparingly.

“She has a natural empathy with people and over the years has supported many cancer sufferers and their families and friends.

“This is a special way for Huddersfield people to thank Margaret for her sterling work over the last 20 years.”

JOHN AND CHRIS PHILLIP

A FIXBY couple’s start to 2009 was a world apart from the festive celebrations back home.

John and Chris Philip were on a mercy mission saving children’s lives in Tanzania as the clock struck midnight to herald New Year’s Day.

And just weeks later they were packing again for a trip to immunise children against polio in India – all at their own expense.