Mission in mum's memory

Heaven An Hell lingerie store, in Coronation Street, Blackpool, is offering a wedding dress, mother-of-the-bride dress, and hen party gift bags, as prizes for a special fundraising raffle.

Lisa Brownless, proprietor of the shop and its sister store on Waterloo Road, South Shore, decided to hold the competition, as she wanted to raise money for the Pancreatic Cancer UK.

She had a very special reason close to her heart for wanting to help the charity.

She lost her mum, Jeanette Colino, of Bispham, to pancreatic cancer at the age of 69.

Lisa said: “It’s such a terrible disease, it takes people so quickly.

“Only one per cent of funding goes towards pancreatic cancer.

“I’m hoping to raise awareness, as well as raise money.

“I took my mum to Zurich for treatment not available here, but we were told it was too late. Time really is of the essence with this horrible illness.

“Over there and other parts of Europe, the life expectancy is five years, but in the UK it’s only six to 12 months.

“It was 11 months from my mum being diagnosed until when she passed. It had spread to her liver.

“I want people to realise they do have options and they can chose where they want to be treated in Europe – you don’t have to be a private patient.

“My mum had been really healthy, she had only ever been in hospital when she had babies and an operation for her back.

“Although she and my dad Larry once ran The Noggin pub, they had been out of the trade for years, she didn’t drink and it wasn’t alcohol-related.

“This is something I feel is so important to raise awareness of and to help raise funds for.”

The first prize in the fundraising raffle is the wedding dress – worth £1,000 – including a veil, hooped skirt, corsage and a pair of shoes. Lisa plans to draw the raffle for the first prize in April 5 with a special event, including an appearance Lionel Vinyl.

The second prize is a mother-of-the-bride dress, or a bridesmaid dress – worth £145, or 10 hen party bags – worth £15 each, while the third prize is a beautiful bridal hamper, worth £60 and full of treats, or a couple’s hamper for bride and groom.

The third prize will be drawn on March 8 and the second prize on March 22.

Lisa will be setting up a Facebook page and plans to do all she can over the coming weeks to promote the raffle and raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.

Lisa said: “The dresses are absolutely beautiful.

“The wedding dress, the first prize, is amazing and is worth £1,000 – with a veil, an underskirt and shoes.

“It’s like a real fairy princess dress.

“People can buy tickets by popping into the shop on Coronation Street or Waterloo Road. They are only £1 a ticket.

“We really want to raise as much money as possible for the charity, this really is an important cause and one really close to my heart.”

To find out more, call (01253) 626333, or (01253) 345333 or call in to either of the stores.