Coffee morning in memory of Helen McKee held at Wisbech’s Secret Garden raises £2,000 for Make 2nds Count

A busy memorial coffee morning raised a fantastic almost £2,000 for a secondary breast cancer charity.

Friends and family of former Fenland Citizen receptionist Helen McKee held their third fundraising event on Sunday for the Make 2nds Count charity.

Friends of Helen, Stephanie Laver and Fiona Irving and members of Helen’s family, were overwhelmed with the support this year given the cost of living crisis, and they said people were very generous.

Organisers, family and friends at the coffee morning

Helen McKee died after a battle with secondary breast cancer

The amount raised was £1,900 - the total amounting to more than the first year the coffee morning was held which was attended by Helen, who sadly died in June 2022 aged 42 having been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.

In explaining why the event was launched in the first place, Stephanie said it was to raise awareness of secondary breast cancer and to help the charity which has a programme focussing on helping people living with the disease by informing, sharing and offering practical advice and support.

“Helen was here with us at the first event and thoroughly enjoyed it and was touched by the support shown by friends and the local community. We all knew how she loved a good social gathering and would have loved today,” said Stephanie at the event.

From left, Fiona Irving, Viv Sturgiss (Helen's mum) and Steph Laver

“We wanted to continue raising awareness for a charity close to our hearts so Fiona and I chose to make this an annual event in memory of our beautiful friend. Anyone who was lucky enough to known or have met Helen knew how she lit up the room with her humour, kindness and Geordie charisma. She really was one in a million.”

The organisers thanked everyone who supported the fundraiser in any way including the stallholders, those who baked cakes, donated prizes, The Secret Garden at Wisbech for the venue and to Wisbech Mayor Peter Human and his wife Janet Tanfield who attended.

Helen’s mum Vivienne Sturgiss travelled from Newcastle for the fundraiser and manned a stall and other members of Helen’s family also came from near and far to help on the day including Helen’s husband James Ward who lives in Wisbech.

Helen’s bubbly personality made her a popular member of staff at the Fenland Citizen and she was equally as popular with colleagues when she worked at the National Farmers' Union Insurance in Wisbech before moving to work as a commercial account handler at two insurance brokers.