Farmers raise £18,500 for breast cancer research

Organised by dairy nutrition company Volac, the campaign has raised over £18,500 for the ‘Breast Cancer Now’ charity from sales of a specially-produced pink film to wrap big bale silage.

Jackie Bradley, from Volac, said: “This amazing £18,500 far exceeds the £10,000 raised in our similar campaign last year.

“The response has been nothing short of amazing with eye catching bright pink bales in fields up and down the country. A testimony to the generosity of farming folk and a very visible reminder that visiting your GP with any concerns or attending for free NHS scans is vital.”

She added: “The campaign has enjoyed huge support from journalists and many farmers have done really creative things with pink bales to make them stand out even more.

“The aim was to help raise awareness of the disease – while all the time raising money for a charity that helps fund breast cancer research at over 30 centres across the British Isles.”

Money was donated to the campaign from each roll of pink Topwrap film farmers purchased – with contributions coming from Volac, as well as Trioplast, the film’s manufacturer, and from the merchant supplying the roll.

Special bright pink stickers were also available for farmers making more traditionally-coloured green or black bales, who also wanted to donate and demonstrate their support.

For further details of more than 100 research projects at 30 centres browse www.breastcancernow.org.

Two of these research projects supported by Breast Cancer Now are led by Dr Niamh Buckley at QUB.