Staff at a Shropshire cleaning company have launched a huge fundraising campaign after one of their colleagues was diagnosed with cancer.
Kelly Ward, owner of Mrs Mopp Cleaning Services in Telford and Shrewsbury, said her staff had been left devastated by the news but have vowed to raise hundreds of pounds for Severn Hospice.
It is the first time the company has nominated a charity of the year but Mrs Ward said it was particularly close to their hearts after the latest news and they would fundraise for the next 12 months.
The member of staff is currently undergoing treatment for the cancer.
Mrs Ward, who has expanded her company since setting up on her own in 2008, said her member of staff who was battling the illness was one of the bravest people she had met and hoped the fundraising from her colleagues would give her some support.
Mrs Ward said the programme of events would kick-off with a month-long “charity clean” where she would hand over 10 per cent of the profits for the month to the hospice.
“The majority of us at the company have children and know the impact such an illness would have on our families.
“By raising some money we hope we can discreetly show we are thinking of her. She is a fighter and will come through this but perhaps by raising money for Severn Hospice we will raise a little more awareness of their work and also of the illness itself,” Mrs Ward said.
“Sadly we never know when we might need the services of the hospice, either for ourselves or for other members of the family and the service they provide is fantastic.”
“Sometimes we can take good health for granted but when something like this happens it makes you realise what you’ve got. When one of the team becomes ill it has a huge impact on everyone else which shows what a close team we are,” she added.
The full programme of fundraising event has not yet been finalised but Mrs Ward said the staff were eager to take part and were already coming up with different ideas.