Wigan charity superstar mum wins Fund-raiser of the Year prize at the Best of Lancashire Awards

Carolyn Cross was named Fund-raiser of the Year at the Best of Lancashire Awards for her phenomenal efforts over the year for a cause very close to her heart.

The glittering ceremony at the Crow Wood Hotel in Burnley heard that the 59-year-old mum has helped to boost the coffers of Cancer Research UK over the last dozen years or so through a variety of events including regular coffee mornings and a major annual concert called The Big Gig.

This isn’t the first time Carolyn has been honoured for her work. She founded the Wrightington and Wigan Group of Friends, who support CRUK with the coffee mornings every third Friday of the month Mossy Lea Village Hall in Wrightington, and two years ago it won a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

That led to an invitation to a Buckingham Palace garden party. And she was also at the Palace of Westminster to receive a British Citizen Award.

Carolyn lost her mum Agnes Bradley to breast cancer at the age of just 54.

She then herself was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2002, which was treated with a radical hysterectomy.

But six years later Carolyn was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had further surgery to remove the tumour completely.

A long-time resident of Standish, she and husband John – who has also battled cancer in recent years – are these days residents of neighbouring Chorley.

Of the latest accolade, Carolyn said: “I am very proud of this award.

"I’ll be taking the trophy to the coffee mornings to show everybody because this is as much the fellow volunteers’ and customers’ as mine. There wouldn’t be any money raised without them.

"We are doing all this so our children and grandchildren don't need to go through what we have been through, illness and loss-wise.

Carolyn was also shortlisted for the Pride of Lancashire award at the same ceremony.

She said it was humbling to be surrounded by so many brilliant people, including a young soldier who had saved the lives of two drowning teenagers.

The coffee mornings at the hall on Mossy Lea Road, run from 10am to 1pm. All are welcome.