LOCALS from around the borough packed a small conference room in Castle Leisure Centre, Bury, on Wednesday (Sept 10) to find out how they could help young leukaemia sufferer Aimee Read.

In the first of two information evenings, representatives of the Anthony Nolan Trust along with five-year-old Aimee and her mum Wendy gave a talk on how to go about being a bone marrow donor.

Aimee, from Moorcroft, Edenfield, needs a bone marrow transplant to help her chances of survival.

Fears over becoming a donor were allayed by people who have already donated bone marrow to save lives.

During the evening, a Bury Friends committee of the Anthony Nolan Trust was formed.

Mrs Read said: "I didn't expect so many people to turn out, it has been brilliant the response to the publicity about Aimee has been wonderful."

The committee, of which Mrs Read is press officer, will raise funds for the charity to enable more people to be registered as a bone marrow donor.

The chairman of the newly formed Bury committee, Mr Scott Duncan of Avondale Drive, Holcombe Brook, is the husband of a leukaemia sufferer.

He said: "I got involved because of my wife. Unfortunately it takes people like Aimee to get up and do something. The response has been overwhelming."

The committee will be responsible for raising the profile of the trust in Bury.

There will be a further information evening on Wednesday September 17 at Ramsbottom Working Men's Club at 8pm. The dates for the mass screening sessions, where a small blood sample will be taken are, Sunday, September 28 from 2-5pm at Louise Brooks Health Centre in Bury and Wednesday,October 15 between 7pm and 10pm at Ramsbottom Working Men's Club. For further details call Steve Joyce on 0161 795 9152 or attend on the night.

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