Charity/voluntary

Respects were paid on Sunday at the newly restored war memorial on Remembrance Sunday at St Matthew's Church, High Street, Yiewsley.

Pictures were sent in by Reverend Richard Young, of the Remembrance service to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for at war for their country.

MOST runners training for a marathon do not have the added experience of training around the mountains of South America.

But Deepak Shukla is not running in any old race, he is going to be competing in the world famous Chicago Marathon...

PARTS of Hillingdon may be the most scenic in London but they have nothing on the beautiful sights of Peru.

Two members of the complimentary therapy team at Mount Vernon Hospital's Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre (LJMC) have decided to leave behind the Northwood nature trails to take on the mighty Inca Trail.

Cherry Mackie, 63, and Lynda Hannam, 49, are heading off to the South American country on May 22 to raise funds for the LJMC, which provides support and information for people affected by cancer.

Mrs Mackie, of St Stephen's Road, Yiewsley, said: "We both have reasons for wanting to do it. I was diagnosed with breast cancer 30 years ago so I wanted to mark that and Lynda wanted to celebrate her 50th birthday.

"Both of us have always wanted to go to Peru and we get on well together so we started talked about it last May and booked it almost straight away. It took me a week to tell my husband though, but he was okay with it.

"We always get involved with different things for the centre but this is the first individual event we are doing."

The 43km Inca Trail is at an altitude of 4,400m (half the height of Mount Everest) and it will take them four days to complete. Temperatures will also fall as low as -15ºC at night.

Mrs Mackie said: "I am nervous and excited about it, but I just hope I can finish it. I'm not as fast as I used to be but I have done a lot of training. I have been going over to Harrow to train because there's lots of hills there and Lynda and I went to Snowdonia last year, which was frightening and horrendous, but I did it.

"I have never been up a mountain before and it was very icy, but it was quite an experience. The Inca trail is nothing like Snowdonia though. It's not icy for a start.

"I think the altitude will be the hardest bit. If the altitude affects you it doesn't matter how fit you are, but hopefully we will be okay.

"Just to see the sun come up over the mountain will be absolutely amazing. It's a magical place so I think it will be lovely to experience it before I get too old.

"We have already managed to raise ￡4,000 and we were only aiming for ￡1,000. We are absolutely stunned by how much we have got, especially in the current economic climate. It's been absolutely wonderful."

To sponsor them go to www.justgiving.com/2girlsinperu

A NEWLY renovated community centre is being launched as the base for helping people with cancer.

The Community Cancer Centre in Fairfield Road, Yiewsley is open five days a week from 10am to 4pm and the public are invited to drop in for information and support.

Rachael Yearwood, project co-ordinator and support worker, said: "All our services are available to anybody that has been affected by cancer, this includes patients, carers, friends and relatives and all our services are free."

The Lottery funded project offers one to one counselling, information, and befriending services through trained volunteers and also reach out to disabled or housebound people through home visits.

The centre also offers specific workshops in different languages for the local community with multi-lingual volunteers and provides group support sessions once a fortnight.
For more information call Rachael Yearwood on 01895 448329.

UNSUNG heroes from Yiewsley are invited into the spotlight as the Gazette and Uxbridge College seek people who have made their mark in the community.

If you know anyone who deserves credit for what they have done in your area - or anywhere in the borough - put them forward now.

Entry is open to all people who live, volunteer, or work here.

Hillingdon's top hero will win £750 on top of the £250 which all category winners receive.
All you have to do is complete a coupon in The Gazette or Leader and return it to: Barbara Fisher, Local Heroes, Gazette, 28 Bakers Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1RG.

Alternatively email barbarafisher@trinitysouth.co.uk Entries must be received by January 23 and shortlisted candidates will be invited to a gala night on February 26.
For more information: phone Barbara Fisher on 01895 451020 Monday-Wednesday only.

Choose from these categories:

• *

Community Hero-someone who has helped the community, perhaps with a project or campaign.

• *

Fundraising Hero- any individual or group which has raised money for charity.

• *

Young Hero- a youngster aged 16 or under who deserves recognition in the community.

• *

Citizen of Courage-someone who has shown bravery in a difficult situation or achieved a goal against the odds.

• *

Carer Hero -anyone who has selflessly looked after others.

The overall title Hero of Hillingdon will be chosen from any of the above
category winners.

If you are e-mailing do not forget to name the category and give contact details for both nominee and the person who is nominating.

A FORMER cancer patient is rallying football fans to raise money for charity at a game this month.

Stephen Ostrowski overcame his battle with cancer two years ago and since then he has helped create a partnership between Hayes and Yeading United Football Club and The Community Cancer Centre in Fairfield Road, Yiewsley.

The event will be held on Saturday, September 20 when Hayes and Yeading United play AFC Wimbledon at Church Road, Hayes, kick off 3pm, in the Blue Square Conference South.

Volunteers from the charity will be going round with fundraising buckets to encourage people to donnate money.

Mr Ostrowski said: "When I was diagnosed with tongue and neck cancer in 2003 I went through an awful time, I couldn't eat for eight months and had to be fed through a tube. I wasn't able to work for two years either and The Community Cancer Centre really helped me get back on my feet psychologically and I just want to help them now in return.

"One of the volunteers who will be raising money on the day is heading the mens prostate cancer group and it's something we want to help raise the awareness of because not many men go to see the doctor even if they suspect something is wrong, so it's really to encourage them to get checked."
He added the money raised on the day will go towards paying for the lease of the charity.

For more information visit www.stevieo.webs.comA