Category: Community

The accolades are flowing as freely as the words for Anna Rains after her long-awaited debut as a published author.

Now 82, the East Cheshire Hospice stalwart has written three books this year, all available on Amazon.

There is even talk that her most recent work, her first novel A Senator’s Mistress, may be turned into a film.

The story, inspired by her fascinating life in California in the late 60s, has led to an interview request from American TV network ABC.

A big chapter of her life, though, is devoted to the Hospice where she is part of an Angel donor group.

Anna at the Art Fair she helped set up.

The charity owes a great debt to the grandmother who has lived around Macclesfield since 1983.

In 1998, Anna was chair of the Hospice’s 10^th anniversary fundraising appeal to build the Sunflower Centre.

Her team raised £300,000 and held an Art Exhibition which she helped run for many years.

Anna dictates manuscripts onto her laptop.

She said: “I can happily sit there and write 1,000 words in barely an hour. It pours out.

“I do it for the love of writing and the power of words.

“My mother was a writer and loved poetry. She only wrote one book which was turned into a five-part children’s TV series.

“I still think she helps me out from the other side if I’m stuck for words.”

Anna Rains with her novel A Senator’s Mistress.

Anna’s literary journey took off after The Quirky Clan, a story about her eccentric family history, was published in April.

Publishers wanted more, leading to Ghostly Tales And Curious Stories from England, a collection of short stories released in June.

A Senator’s Mistress followed in October. Anna said: “I sent the opening chapters to the publisher who said he stopped everything and cancelled meetings to read it.

“The publisher is working on worldwide markets and a film. Notes I’ve scribbled over 20 years are used in my stories. I never throw anything away.”

Another book The Curse of the Black Lake is underway.

Anna said: “I still go to writing class weekly. It doesn’t matter what the teacher throws at me, by the time I leave the room I’ve got another story in my head.”

Anna gives talks about the Hospice, helps at Mottram bowling club, is a member of the WI and makes quilts.

She said: “I don’t sit around very much.”

Unless, of course, she is composing her next novel.

Look out for thousands of reindeers racing across Macclesfield and beyond!

It is time for Reindeer Rush, an easy way to provide a big help to East Cheshire Hospice.

Parkroyal Community School taking part in last winter’s Santa Dash.

Schools and organisations are invited to take part in the charity’s biggest mass participation event.

Last year’s Santa Dash involved 39 schools, raising a massive £59,209, one of the largest amounts in the event’s history.

The Hospice gives festive headwear to everyone taking part.

The Hospice toast last year’s bumper amount.

Community and Events fundraiser Sarah Elvin said: “We always put together a fun Christmas activity for local schools and youth groups.

“It’s designed so organisers can plan around their calendars. We ask them to raise sponsorship to help provide vital funds for the Hospice.

“You choose a date to gather in a location of your choice, like a school field, playground, hall or park.

“It can be as inclusive as possible, so feel free to put your own spin on it.

“It doesn’t have to be a run. It could be a Festive Boogie, Nature Walk or Treasure Hunt. The most important thing is to have fun.”

The Hospice provides sponsorship envelopes to collect donations from friends and family, access to a JustGiving campaign for anyone wanting to fundraise online and the all-important headgear for all participants.

Sarah said: “We can also provide a fun presentation about the run and the Hospice to share with pupils or group members.”

Enter via the Hospice website, email events@echospice.org.uk or call 01625 433477.

Florist Kathryn Cronin has a yellow theme for her installation at the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in the next few days (Wed July 17 – Sun July 21).

Daffodils and sunflowers feature in a poignant tribute to her late friend Christine Jones.

The choice of colour is deliberate – the sunflower is the emblem of East Cheshire Hospice where Christine died of bowel cancer in January, while the daffodil is a nod to their Welsh upbringing.

The installation called ‘Threshold – On Life and Living’ is to raise awareness of the Hospice’s work and its motto ‘where people come to live.’

Kathryn Cronin at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show.

Kathryn is exhibiting at Tatton for the third time and had an installation at last year’s Chelsea Flower Show, though this display at Tatton is special for personal reasons.

She said: “This is the most ambitious installation I’ve done and it’s the one that means the most since it’s in honour of a dear long-standing friend.

“Christine loved her garden and I had to have daffodils so I dried them. As a fellow Welsh girl, we’d often cheer the Welsh rugby team when everyone else wasn’t.”

Kathryn at work in her garden. 

Fresh and dried flowers, all sustainably British grown, are arranged in wild garden style, a wooden door frame forming a living threshold.

Kathryn developed her floral passion at five inspired by her fuchsia-loving grandfather Jack.

“I would stand in his greenhouse knee high to his potting bench. The greenhouse took up half the garden at his terraced house in Cardiff. I just loved it and I think every child needs to know how to grow food or flowers.”

Kathryn with flowers for Fashion on the Edge.

Kathryn worked for AstraZeneca for 25 years and has supported the Hospice’s Fashion on the Edge show with flowers grown in her Cheshire canal side cutting garden.

Her business www.fierceblooms.com provides exclusively British flowers for weddings, funerals and other functions and she is passionate about sustainability.

Friends Christine and Christopher Jones on their 40^th wedding anniversary.

“Many places grow flowers for import and that takes a lot of carbon, chemicals and air freight, but you can have beautiful British grown seasonal flowers.

“This has been the toughest year I’ve known for growing flowers due to the cold and wet. The installation will hopefully raise awareness for East Cheshire Hospice where Christine received such wonderful care.”

Next stop half a million pounds! That is the promise from fundraisers What Women Want after a triumphant and emotional fashion show.

The five girls raised £7,000 from the event, taking the overall total donated to East Cheshire Hospice over the last 15 years to a staggering £410,000.

Models who have all experienced cancer took to the catwalk to entertain guests at Tytherington High School.

There was a special surprise too for the WWW quintet who received a lifetime achievement award from the then Macclesfield mayor Cllr Chris Wilcock.

The What Women Want group with Cllr Chris Wilcock. From left, Julie Barnes, Jayne Carter, Jo Millward, Jill Harding and Elaine Burgess.

It was a deserved reward for Julie Barnes, Jo Millward, Jill Harding, Elaine Burgess and Jayne Carter whose amazing dedication has raised such a prolific amount for the Hospice from various fashion shows, balls and bingo nights.

Jayne, the group’s chair, said: “Our fourth fashion show was another fabulous occasion. It was so humbling to see all the models in action. They all either have cancer, are in recovery from the disease or have someone who has passed away from it.

“Their courage was amazing and thank them for putting themselves in the spotlight.”

Olliers Photography captured the models strutting their stuff in clothing provided by SOS Fashions and John Douglas. The event was sponsored by Lynne Stevens from STD Developments.

The work goes on for the WWW women. Jayne said: “The next stop is half a million pounds and we’ll continue doing our fundraising events.

“We were thrilled to receive our civic award from the mayor to cap a wonderful night.”