New community group is now up and running

DOZENS of students have signed up to be potential lifesavers in a campaign to educate young people about being blood, organ and stem cell donors.

Some 36 students joined the Anthony Nolan stem cell donor register at Huddersfield New College, Salendine Nook, following a week of educational talks about Register & Be a Lifesaver (R&Be).

The R&Be scheme is the legacy of Examiner reporter Adrian Sudbury, who died of leukaemia in 2008. Adrian had campaigned for 16 to 18-year-olds to be educated about the importance of donation.

R&Be has now educated more than 200,000 young people about the need for donors and has registered more than 19,000 as potential stem cell donors, more than 12,000 as blood donors and more than 6,000 as potential organ donors.

The charity uses its register to match potential donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a lifesaving stem cell transplant.

The college has hosted presentations from Anthony Nolan’s education programme R&Be since 2009. During that time, 3,526 students have been educated about lifesaving donation and 418 have registered as potential stem cell donors.

If they are found to be a match, they could go on to save the life of a blood cancer patient. Mount Community Group holds its first meeting. Pictured, from left, are: Alan Jones (Mount Forum), Alan Olive (Mount Forum), Glenys Olice (Mount Forum), Vincent Dorrington (Mount Forum/ Mount Community Group) and Clr Cahal Burke

“With the help of old maps and photographs that go back to 1854, we told the story of Mount through a slide show - how it changed from a insights to inform and surprise at the same time.”

The new community group will work closely with Mount Forum, a community group started to tackle issues affecting local residents, through collaboration with councillors, residents and local agencies.

Members will also work with Lindley Community Group, including councillors Cahal Burke and Richard Eastwood who hold positions of chairperson and treasurer respectively.

Clr Burke said: “I’m delighted that Mount Community Group is now up and running.

“The consultation undertaken by the group was really positive.

“I hope that the group can build on this success and provide opportunities for an active community, bringing together local people, strengthening local decision-making and working with local groups to support improvements in the area.”

Further details on Mount Community Group can be found on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/ mountcommunitygroup. Pictured at New College for the Anthony Nolan stem cell donor registration session are (from left) Katie Day, Chris Barker, Lynsey Dickinson, Jean Barker and Andrew Checkley