Star date: 22nd March 2015

LOWER KERSAL BLUES BROTHERS NIGHT HUGE SUCCESS

A Blues Brothers Ball at Lower Kersal Social Club last night was the first fundraiser to kick off a whole series of events to raise money for a really popular Salford lady, Laynie Pierce, who is currently battling cancer.

The night, attended by over four hundred people, also raised money for Macmillan Cancer Support, with lots of items donated by sports people and celebs, including Bez who attended the Ball.

Full details here...

Last night well over four hundred people packed out the Lower Kersal Social Club for a Blues Brothers Ball, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Laynie Pierce, an incredibly popular Salford lady who is currently battling cancer.

"Laynie already had a scare when she was 29 years old, they found a lump in her breast and took it out but then 16 years down the line it's erupted again" explains her friend Mags McNally, who organised the night with Laynie's sister Stella.

"She's had a mastectomy, and then further investigation revealed that she also had it in her lymph nodes so that had to be taken out, and now she's undergoing really intense chemotherapy and we don't know the results yet" Mags adds

"All her life Laynie has worked caring for people" says Stella "She even helped out at a charity event last November, two days after having her breast removed." 

The aim is to raise £10,000 for Laynie and her partner to get married. They've been together for 36 years, have four children but it was never quite the time to tie the knot. Now Laynie's friends and family are going all out to make sure it's a wedding that no-one will ever forget. And there's been incredible support...

"Bez donated signed maracas and Salford artist Jay Ee-go painted a Blues Brothers symbol on the frame, football players from City and United have donated shirts, snooker players have donated cues, there's a signed Hollyoaks script and many, many other people have donated items" says Mags "People are donating as well from Australia, Spain, Tenerife, Singapore...Laynie's worked with many people who are seeing it on Facebook from all over the world."

The Blues Brothers Ball was just the first of many events to try and hit the financial target. Mags' own up-and-coming singing star son, Keelan, wrote and performed a special song for Laynie which has already raised £1,000, while her niece is going to do a sponsored jump from an aeroplane. Meanwhile, Laynie's son and some family members are also planning a sponsored Salford to Blackpool Walk.

"We've had friends who have also had problems and we've supported them in their times of trouble" Mags explains "Now they're giving back, like Salford people do."

The Salford Star will be covering all the future events in more detail but in the meantime see the Laynie Piece Charity Event Facebook page for more information

Main photo shows Laynie and Stella Pierce 

Photos by Peter Yankowski