A CANCER patient from North Tawton helped to give something back to the charity that has supported her and her family.

Serena Fewings, the kitchen manager at North Tawton Primary School, had surgery and treatment for bowel and ovarian cancer last year and earlier this year completed another course of chemotherapy after three further lesions were discovered.

FORCE Cancer Charity, based in Exeter with an outreach service at Okehampton’s Castle Ham Lodge each Thursday, has helped the mum-of-two by providing advice and support throughout and she wanted to find a way of repaying them.

She said: ‘The Support Centre in Exeter is a lovely place to go, away from the hospital.

‘It’s a nice place to just sit and relax. I also drop in for coffee with new friends I’ve made at Castle Ham and I’ll also be going there for massages.

‘I’m not the sort of person who can run, climb a mountain or jump out of a plane. So a ladies’ night seemed like a good way for us to give something back to FORCE.’

She decided upon a ladies’ night at Quinns Hairdressers in Okehampton on July 31.

There were drinks and nibbles served by topless waiters — including some of Okehampton’s firefighters — a raffle and silent auction.

The event raised £4,500 for the charity.

Serena and her two sisters Tonya and Merissa recently donated a cheque to community fundraiser Naomi Cole from the charity.

Serena expressed thanks to ‘absolutely everyone’ who helped make the event such a success.