A LADY from Camelford has raised £60,000 for the Merlin Project, continuing her and her late husband’s goal to support those suffering with MS as much as possible.

Val and Jim Cowen raised money for the Merlin Project, the Cornwall-based centre for people affected by MS, reaching over £50,000 before Jim sadly passed away last year.

With the thoughts of not carrying on with the fundraising without her husband, Val soon found that she would let the days pass without doing anything and came to the conclusion that she needed to start raising money for the charity that meant so much to her and her husband.

With three members of her family suffering from MS, Val and Jim started fundraising through small events such as coffee mornings, and soon developed these events into bigger fundraisers, resulting in their large sum of money. In 2011, the couple received a letter from Dr Murphy, who had started the MS Society, and the project is now nearly completed thanks to a donation from the Lottery Fund.

Val continues to do table top sales in Boscastle, having started her fundraising again, and is well supported by the community.

Val said: “I’m thrilled with the amount that has been raised, and I’ve been very well supported. When my husband was poorly, we were rushing to and from Treliske and now I feel a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’m in a much better place now.”

Following presenting her cheque in May, Val was congratulated by the Mayor of Camel­ford, Rob Rotch­ell, and is optimistic for the future of the charity that she holds so dear to her heart.