New Sanctuary Lodge No 6604 held its ‘Ladies to Dine’ evening at the Park Club, Cleveleys, but before the festivities could begin, the business of the lodge was attended to. Mark Heelis occupied the chair of King Solomon for the evening, with confidence and composure, assisted throughout by director of ceremonies, Ian Winnard. Once the lodge was closed, the brethren gathered in the bar to meet their guests and escort them into the festive board.
The principal guest for the evening was John Hodgson, Chairman of the Rosemere Cancer Foundation, who was introduced by Ian Winnard. John spoke warmly about his long association with the charity, explaining that he first became involved twenty years ago as a supporter, later volunteering after his retirement from teaching. His commitment deepened as he joined the management committee and three years ago he was invited to become chairman, a role he accepted with pride, although, as he emphasised, he still considers himself first and foremost a volunteer.
John outlined the history of cancer treatment in the region. Before 1996, Lancashire cancer patients were treated at Christie’s Hospital in Manchester. The decision to establish a dedicated cancer centre within Lancashire led to the creation of the Lancashire and Lakeland Radiotherapy Department at Preston Hospital in 1997, later rebranded as the Rosemere Cancer Centre. From its beginnings with just three LINAC radiotherapy machines, the centre has expanded to eight, delivering treatment daily to a catchment area comparable in size to Northern Ireland. All clinical cancer services for the region are now based there.
He explained the origins of the charity’s name: ‘Rose’ representing Lancashire, and ‘mere’ symbolises the lakes of Cumbria. The logo reflects this too, with red for the Lancashire rose and blue for the Cumbrian lakes.
Rosemere raises funds to support cancer treatment across Lancashire and South Cumbria, working closely with clinical teams to provide the best possible care. The funding enables the purchase of cutting edge equipment, support for local research and it also provides high quality training for clinical staff. Always for items and services beyond what the NHS can provide, allowing the region to remain at the forefront of cancer care. Annual fundraising typically ranges between £1.2 million and £1.5 million, influenced by the wider economy and legacy donations.
John highlighted several major projects funded by Rosemere. A robotic surgery system at Preston has transformed cancer operations, making them less invasive and reducing recovery times. The charity also raised more than £1.7 million to equip every radiotherapy machine with Surface Guided Radiotherapy Treatment, a technology so advanced that only a handful of centres in the country possess it.
In the pursuit of earlier lung cancer diagnosis, Rosemere funded the purchase of Lung Vision at a cost of £237,000 making Preston the first hospital in the UK and only the third in Europe, to have this equipment. Closer to home, Rosemere funds complementary therapies across the region, including Blackpool, offering physical, emotional and spiritual support to patients at no cost. The charity commits £75,000 annually to maintain this valued service.
Mark Heelis thanked John for his informative and inspiring talk and for raising awareness of the remarkable work undertaken by Rosemere Cancer Foundation. Mark Heelis and Del Hernon then presented a cheque to Rosemere for £200 on behalf of the lodge. A festive board of prawn cocktail, pork schnitzel and treacle tart with ice cream was enjoyed by all, and the charity raffle raised £180. Together with the alms collection, a total of £220 was added to the evening’s charitable giving.
