Priti and Fay Ripley help launch Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal
Witham MP Priti Patel and Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley have joined forces this March to help Marie Curie provide care and support to more people living with a terminal illness.
Priti and long-term Marie Curie supporter Fay were pictured together with Marie Curie Nurses, Victoria Shodeko and Victoria Oluwalogbon, at a parliamentary event held this week to celebrate the launch of the Great Daffodil Appeal, Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraising campaign.
From today Marie Curie’s daffodil pins will be available from volunteers and shops on high streets across Essex. With demand for Marie Curie services growing, as more people die each year, the charity hopes that this March, more people than ever will give a donation and wear the iconic yellow flower.
The money raised will help the charity be there for more people living with any terminal illness, providing them and their loved ones with vital care and support at the most difficult time of their lives.
Priti pledged her support to the appeal and is encouraging local people to help the charity raise more money than ever before by simply giving a donation and wearing a Marie Curie daffodil pin.
Priti said:
“Marie Curie do wonderful work helping and supporting people affected by terminal illnesses and their families. These are difficult times and the comfort and support that Marie Curie provide is greatly appreciated by families in the Witham constituency. I am pleased to support this year’s Great Daffodil Appeal.”
Fay Ripley, who is best known for her role in the ITV series Cold Feet and also as a recipe author, said:
‘I’m delighted to be here with Priti to help launch Marie Curie’s annual Great Daffodil Appeal.
“Chances are, we all know someone who’s been affected by a terminal illness, so it’s absolutely crucial that families have the care and support they need at such a difficult time. I hope that as many people as possible wear a daffodil this March and understand that in doing so, they are making a huge difference for people living with a terminal illness and their loved ones.”
Scott Sinclair, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie, said:
‘Having the support of Priti and Fay makes a huge difference to our Great Daffodil Appeal.
“We ask people to wear a daffodil on their lapel throughout the month to show not only their support for the work of our Marie Curie Nurses, but also to help us highlight the many issues that people affected by terminal illness confront. We believe that everyone should have the best quality of care and the best quality of life possible when they are dying.”
Marie Curie Rapid Response Nurse Victoria Shodeko said:
‘Wearing a daffodil is a really easy way to show your support for the thousands of families affected by terminal illness. Everyone deserves to be cared for at the end of their life.
“Every penny raised, every daffodil worn, helps fund our vital care and support. It means I can be there for someone who is dying. We urgently need as many people as possible to give a donation this year and wear their daffodil with pride.
‘Marie Curie services rely on charitable donations, so I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who gives a donation and wears a daffodil pin during March.’
Marie Curie is there for everyone affected by a terminal illness, including those with cancer, dementia, heart or lung disease, and neurological conditions like motor neurone disease. It provides a range of services focussing on where gaps exist in high quality care and where it can reach more people. It also provides practical information and support, funds vital research and campaigns for more people to have access to high quality, personalised care wherever and whenever they need it.
To find out more about the Great Daffodil Appeal, visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil or call free on 0800 304 7025. You can also text DAFF to 70099 to donate £5.
Marie Curie – care and support through terminal illness
- Please note – we are now called ‘Marie Curie’ (not Marie Curie Cancer Care)
- Marie Curie is the UK’s leading charity for people with any terminal illness. The charity helps people living with a terminal illness and their families make the most of the time they have together by delivering expert hands-on care, emotional support, research and guidance. Marie Curie employs more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, and with its nine hospices around the UK, is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.
- If you are in need of support, or have any questions about any aspect of terminal illness, call the Marie Curie Information & Support Line free on 0800 090 2309 or visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/help.
About the Great Daffodil Appeal
- The Great Daffodil Appeal is Marie Curie’s biggest fundraising campaign, held every March.
- Every donation and daffodil worn helps Marie Curie provide vital care for people living with a terminal illness and support for their families.
- 8 million daffodil pins are distributed each year.
- £6.6 million was raised last year and £86.6 million total raised since the campaign began in 1986.
- Over 2,000 Marie Curie Nurses work across the country in people’s homes and the charity’s nine hospices, providing 1.2 million hours of nursing care every year.
- Daffodil pins are available from volunteers on high streets across the country, Marie Curie shops, and stores including Superdrug, Spar, Poundworld, Hotter Shoes and Wyevale Garden Centres. Visit www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil or call 0800 304 7025 for more information.