The £5 million Sunflower Appeal to provide a Lingen Davies Cancer Centre at Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital is set for a £26,000 boost thanks to the combined efforts of farmers, Halls auctioneers, Telford & Wrekin Council and the charity.

Halls auctioneers have announced that last month’s Lingen Davies Farmers Day to celebrate its 20^th birthday of Shrewsbury Auction Centre raised £13,012 which will be matched by the council.

The sum also included money collected by Halls for the charity at livestock and machinery sales held in Shrewsbury and Bishop Castle during the rest of April.

Farmers responded with great generosity when they were asked to donate part of or the total proceeds of livestock sold by Halls, or to make a cash donation to the charity.

The Farmers Day was the brainwave of Stuart Ashley, a sheep and beef farmer from Cothercott, near Shrewsbury. He was supported by Halls director and auctioneer James F. Evans, Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager Jonny Dymond, the charity’s fundraising team and its Shrewsbury fundraising committee, of which he is a member.

“The generosity of farmers, people associated with the livestock markets and Halls has been amazing,” said Stuart. “I never imagined that this much money would be raised – it’s way beyond my expectations and all I can say is a big ‘Thank you’ to everyone involved.

“I have been really touched by the stories of people who have experience of cancer – it has been very humbling and puts into perspective what others are going through. It’s great that a fundraising project like this gives them a voice.”

Farmer’s daughter Angela Hill, a Lingen Davies Cancer Support community fundraiser and chairman of the charity’s Shrewsbury Fundraising Committee, was successfully treated for cancer 10 years ago and was a driving force behind the Farmers Day.

"Massive thanks to James Evans and Jonny Dymond at Halls for their incredible support,” she said. “We cannot thank them enough. It has been wonderful and we are thrilled to announce that we raised £13,012.19 from the kind donations at Halls, which plus match funding from Telford & Wrekin Council makes a fabulous total of £26,024.38 raised."

Halls donated their commission from the sale of donated livestock and Mr Evans thanked farmers for their “fantastic” support.

“Everyone at Halls is delighted that this fundraising effort has been so successful and we extend our sincere thanks to all the vendors and buyers for their generous support,” he said.

“Farmers Day was a very fitting way to celebrate the 20^th birthday of Shrewsbury Auction Centre on this site and demonstrated the support for the fantastic work that Lingen Davies does to help people diagnosed with cancer across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Mid Wales.

“Sadly, we all know people who have been impacted by cancer and it’s reassuring to know that Lingen Davies is there to support them.”

The Lingen Davies Cancer Centre in Telford will have 30 chemotherapy bays and is scheduled to open in 2029. Currently, patients from the Telford area must travel to the busy Lingen Davies Cancer Centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for treatment.