Northampton cancer charity that hands out goodie bags to NGH patients receives £10,000 cash boost

The Lewis Foundation was set up after Lorraine and her husband Lee spent a significant amount of time at the Talbot Butler Ward at Northampton General Hospital where Lorraine's mother-in-law Janice was receiving treatment.

They noticed how sad and bored patients looked on the wards and in the private rooms when they were on their own, without family and friends.

The couple spoke about what they could do to give patients something to look forward to, to take their minds of their illness and the seemingly endless treatments. Drawing from their own personal experiences, they knew that for patients and their families struggle financially, emotionally and physically throughout the treatment phase.On a monthly basi,s The Lewis Foundation gives 500 free gift packs to adults with cancer in hospitals. Now, The Lewis Foundation has been awarded £10,000 from the National Lottery Awards For All, to provide the charity with the expenditure and materials to allow The Lewis Foundation to deliver more free gift bags to poorly patients.

The gift packs range from puzzle books to portable radios, pamper packs and even model craft kits.

Both Lorraine and Lee were amazed to receive the fund. Lorraine said: "It will make such a difference to our charity so we can brighten even more people's day with our gift packs. We both work full time, in addition to our team - Keith Hall, Laura Graham, Jo Duberry and Kellie Leonard.

"We rely on fundraising and donations for the items that go into the gift packs each and every month since we started in May 2016.

"The costs associated with the charity, such as travel expenses and parking, we pay for ourselves. So, having the support of the National Lottery Awards, will give a major boost to our charity in terms of the service we can continue to provide to people within our community."