Bucket collection ahead of Luton game for Team CB
Friends of BBC presenter and Shrewsbury fan Colin Bloomfield will be outside the Greenhous Meadow on Saturday raising money for a cancer charity, after completing a gruelling 250 mile bike ride from London to Paris.Colin, 32, was diagnosed with stage four melanoma last year, and has since found it’s spread to his brain. He’s currently undergoing treatment at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. He still attends Town matches, writing reports and providing interviews for the official website.
He also recently returned to his day job at BBC Radio Derby, where he has presented the Breakfast programme and commentated on Derby County matches.
To help offer their support and raise money for Melanoma UK, a fortnight ago Gerry Leahy, David Evison, Michael Price, Richard Rawson, Steve Price, Chris Webster and Justin Klekot set off from Tower Bridge in London and finished at the Eiffel Tower, Paris.
“They’ve done an incredible job, raising nearly £4500,” said Colin. “That money will go to a charity which helps patients and their families with the disease. It will also go towards helping fund new treatments and trials. There’s still no cure for advanced melanoma and life expectancy, especially for those with brain tumours, is very poor. New drugs are on the market though. The treatment I’m on started shrinking my lesions within a week and I’ve got the results of another scan next week so I’m hoping for more good news.
“It’s fair to say the lads who took part in the ride were pushed to the limit. There was the London traffic to contend with on the first day, as well as punctures and a bad rainstorm – but they did it inside three days, and they’re even talking about doing another biking challenge in the future.”
Members of Team CB will be outside the Meadow on Saturday ahead of the Luton game, rattling buckets to help push the total up even further.
“They’re all big Town fans and if anyone can spare a bit of loose change going into the game, that would be fantastic,” said Colin.
To make a donation on Saturday through some change into one of the buckets or pop along to the Just Giving site - https://www.justgiving.com/Team-CB1