Wellingborough charity's 'magnificent' final project opens

Glennis Hooper opened the centre at Kettering General Hospital

A charity that has raised more than £3m for breast cancer services over 20 years has seen the fruits of its final "magnificent" donation.

Kettering General Hospital got £390,000 from Crazy Hats Breast Cancer Appeal, founded by Glennis Hooper, in 2021.

The donation has paid for a new lounge and garden at the hospital's treatment centre has now opened.

The charity announced three years ago that its fundraising work was coming to an end.

The "hope foundation" is one the features of the garden

Ms Hooper, who set up the Crazy Hats appeal, said: "This is a momentous day for us and for all the local people who have supported Crazy Hats over our 20 years of fundraising.

"This new waiting lounge and garden is our largest ever single donation.

"It has enabled us to work with the hospital to design and create a wonderful, calm, quiet, and relaxing place for patients, who may be feeling very anxious and stressed, to wait for their appointments."

She became convinced that the project was needed when she came for an appointment in 2018, adding: "I realised the whole area needed to be 'spruced' up and so began the process of seeing our dream to create a new area."

In 2021, the charity handed over a cheque for £390,000 for the new waiting area.

Salam Musa (right), a consultant breast surgeon, said the charity's final donation was "a magnificent one"

Kettering General Hospital's consultant oncoplastic and aesthetic breast surgeon, Salam Musa, said: "The Crazy Hats Appeal has supported our breast service in so many ways over the last 20 years.

"This final donation is a magnificent one and it has helped us vastly improve the waiting experience of our patients and created a beautiful new extension to our breast care service."

Claire Wilson, 37, had breast cancer and fundraised for Crazy Hats.

She said: "The new waiting area and garden is a fantastic final contribution.

"It will be so different from just staring at four walls and worrying about what is next. It will help patients to feel welcome and looked after."