A prolific fundraiser who lost two of her siblings to cancer has had a lorry named in their memory.
Jeanette Parkes, who has helped to raise almost £500,000 for charity in their honour, saw the names of her sisters emblazoned on the front of an Eddie Stobart lorry for the first time when it made a visit to Hyndburn.
Jeanette, 58, began fundraising with her sister Barbara Donohoe and sister-in-law Barbara King for Macmillan 25 years ago as part of the Hyndburn Fundraising committee, to thank the nurses who looked after their sister Marie, who died from breast cancer at just 34.
But there was more devastating news to come when Barbara Donohoe, then 60, was diagnosed with a rare and untreatable form of eye cancer.
After her death, the committee decided to carry on in her memory with Barbara's close friend Susan Johnson, who took the helm as chairperson.
The group has raised money through all sorts of challenges, including walking the Caledonian Way and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in February.
They’ve also held a range of events such as coffee mornings, fashion shows and Christmas fairs.
The group set themselves a target to raise £40,000 to mark their 40th anniversary last year and exceeded it by £21,000, bringing the total raised for Macmillan to more than half a million.
Last year, an auction was held to mark the committee’s anniversary, and Eddie Stobart donated the chance to name one of their lorries.
The winning bid came from chairperson Susan’s daughter Sarah, who chose to name the lorry after Jeanette’s two sisters.
Jeanette said: “Losing Marie and Barbara to cancer was devastating but being part of the committee and fundraising for Macmillan has helped me through it and given me a purpose. I'm so thankful to Macmillan for their support.
“To see Marie and Barbara’s names on the lorry was awesome.
"Her family are so excited and proud of her legacy."
