Housebuilder donates to Angela's fund at The Eve Appeal

Announcement of the Angela Butcher research fund in Cambridge with Linda and Mark Butcher on the right.

Persimmon Homes has donated the cash to Angela’s Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at The Eve Appeal, a project based in Biggleswade, raising cash for studies into the disease.

The cause was started by Angela Butcher in 2012 upon being diagnosed with an aggressive form of the condition.

Angela sadly passed away in January 2013 but her inspiration continued with friends and family raising £38,000 in her memory.

Alongside charity The Eve Appeal, it has now agreed 15 months of research with Cambridge University at a cost of £30,000. It is the cause’s aim to have a five-year study into the disease.

Angela’s Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Research Fund applied for the cash via Persimmon Homes’ Community Champions initiative.

The scheme began last year allowing charities and groups to apply for funding up to the value of £1,000 to match money they have already raised themselves. Nationally Persimmon Homes donated a total of £750,000 across the UK in the first 12 months of programme.

Angela’s mother Linda Butcher said: “Upon diagnosis Angela was disappointed to find that no research had been carried out in the world into Small Cell Ovarian Cancer. She set about to change this to give hope to others.

“After Angela’s death we set about raising funds with a high number of fundraising events. We raised £38,000 to date and recently found out £30,000 of this is funding 15 months research at Cambridge University Genetic Research Centre. A patient research registry website is being developed, DNA kits will be sent out and archived tissue samples available for study of origin across Europe.

“We are very grateful that Persimmon Homes East Midlands has donated £1,000 to our appeal and helps boost our cause.”

Steven Allenby, head of sales for Persimmon Homes East Midlands, added: “Angela’s Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at The Eve Appeal is such an important cause we wanted to do what we could to support it.

“Upon reading the application it was clear the charity was doing all it could to raise awareness of the condition and we are delighted to put £1,000 towards the cause.

“We still have money to give away in our Community Champions pot. We’d urge charities, groups and good causes to get in touch, via www.persimmonhomes.com/charity.” Visit www.persimmonhomes.com