OVER the last year many people have come together to help raise money for the Robert Johns Leukemia Fund (RJLF), totalling more than £13,000 of donations.

Robert Johns died in 1983 after a long fought battle with leukaemia and his father, Bob Johns, from Week St Mary, set up the charity along with the other trustees Hazel Cartright and the late Roy Cobbledick.

As part of the impressive total raised this year, twin sisters Jenna and Morwenna Matthews from Cornwall have raised over £5,000 from the sale of their CD ‘As Long As We Have Music’.

Known as ‘Twin Harmony’, they are an amateur music act and have held numerous concerts throughout the year.

At each concert they sold copies of their CD. A copy was sold for £8 and was sponsored so the girls were able to donate all the money raised from its sale to the RJLF.

Bob Johns, main trustee of the RJLF, said: “For the girls’ birthday their parents had organised a surprise party where over 90 people were attending.

“The girls didn’t know that their parents had invited me along and I was able to present the two girls with certificates in recognition of their support.

“It was a way of saying thank you to them for all the work they have done to raise funds for the Robert Johns Leukemia Fund.

“I am so grateful to them and they have become more like family than friends because of the help they have given to us. They have raised over £5,000, which is a real help to the fund.”

The ’80s cover band, ‘Thin Red Line’, also made a sizable contribution to this year’s total following the success of their reunion concert, held at Lifton Strawberry Fields in September.

The band was able to split the proceeds, donating £685 to RJLF with the remainder going to CHICKS.

The cheque was presented to Bob by the event organisers, Grenville Moore and Jamie Ellacott at the Countryman Inn. Bob expressed his thanks.

Additional funds were raised through eight wedding bars held this year and donations kindly given by the public.

Thanks have also been expressed to Johnny Cowling, who teamed up with ‘Twin Harmony’ to stage a concert at Week St Mary Church, and to Mousehole Male Voice Choir for their contributions to aiding events raising money for the RJLF.

At the end of 2015 the RJLF has raised £13,700.

Since the charity was established in 1983 they have raised a substantial £222,379.77.

Bob said: “I used to be a keen footballer and I feel that since the loss of my son 32 years ago I have been 1-0 to leukaemia.

“Back in 1983 we had to take Robert up to London for a bone marrow transplant and were told that the percentage rate of success was not good. Now, 25 years later, we were informed that the success rate of the same procedure has been raised to a 70/30 per cent chance.

“This is a massive improvement and it has given me the attitude to continue smashing our targets to help fund vital research to ensure more progress like this can be made.

“It is unlikely we will see a cure for leukaemia in my life time, but I am certainly going to try and help get there.”

To find out more information about the Robert Johns Leukaemia Fund or to find out ways to get involved and donate visit the charity’s website at www.rjlf.org.uk