Kenilworth Rugby Football Club raises more than £3,500 for leukaemia charity

The Ladies Section hosted a lunch for 128 based on a cowboy theme and a dinner was held for 130 with Test Match Special Commentator Henry Blofeld as the main speaker.

The two fundraisers combined raised more than £3,500 for the charity.

Kenilworth RFC Member and ex Leukaemia patient Mark Nicholas cycled 500k from London to Paris last September who helped sell raffle tickets at the events said: "I am blown away by the generosity and support from Kenilworth Rugby Club as always.

"They have always been here helping me recover from my stem cell transplant. The money raised over the two events will help patients such as myself receive vital life saving trial drugs.

"The Ladies Event was lively as usual and thanks for the loan of the Pink Cowboy Hat. The Henry Blofeld evening was also a fantastic night and great to meet the legend that is Blowers."

The money raised will be used to help fund a National Network of Research Nurses driven by Cure Leukaemia.

Cure Leukaemia has started funding 12 centres across the UK for the Trials Accelerated Programme.

The centres will receive a dedicated research nurse for three years who will help deliver trial drugs for blood cancer patients who desperately need them.

The nurses will allow free trial drugs from the 'Big Pharmas' to be released whereas previously they were not available. The £3.5K raised by Kenilworth Rugby club will help release around £35,000 of these trial drugs desperately needed by patients.

Cure Leukaemia Patron Geoff Thomas (ex England, Wolves and Crystal Palace legend) kindly accepted the cheque at Kenilworth RFC home league game against Hereford.

Geoff is also an ex Leukaemia patient who helped set up the Cure Leukaemia charity in 2003 once he was in remission. This year Geoff will cycle the Tour De France route one day before the professionals aiming to raise £1m towards funding the National TAP Network.