Famous faces on the tills today to boost gran’s charity campaign
10:23am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News
A PERSUASIVE grandmother has recruited two Bolton MPs to roll up their sleeves and pitch in on the tills of a town centre store to help fight muscular dystrophy.
Christine Ogden, aged 71, whose 11-year-old grandson Alexander has the genetic muscle-wasting condition, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, has roped in Bolton North East MP, David Crausby, and Bolton West MP Julie Hilling, to bag-pack at Bolton’s Deansgate branch of Marks & Spencer to help raise funds for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.
From 11.30am today the pair will spend an hour helping shoppers at the till in exchange for a small donation to the charity, which funds research into treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy and related conditions and supports families affected.
Mrs Ogden has raised over £40,000 for the charity over the past seven years since her grandson was diagnosed with Duchenne, holding regular fundraising events, including a carol concert.
The muscles of children born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy waste and weaken over time, leading to increasing disability and shortening life expectancy.
Mrs Ogden said: “I’m delighted that Julie and David have agreed to give us their time. Bag-packing is not only a great way to raise money for charity while giving shoppers a helping hand, but also helps us to raise awareness about muscular dystrophy.
Many people do not understand what muscular dystrophy is and chatting at the till is a good way for us to explain more about the conditions.
“I’m so grateful that Julie and David are rolling up their sleeves and continuing to show support.”
Charles Horton, the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s North West Volunteer Fundraising Manager said: “It takes quite some powers of persuasion to recruit to MPs to spend their Saturday morning manning tills, but it is all in a day’s work for Christine.”
