Charity Rosemere Cancer Foundation is to have its own fundraising locally produced gin to be sold as a tonic for its 20 Years Anniversary Appeal and launched at a fundraising evening that will celebrate the life of a supporter, who helped to come up with the idea.
A limited run of the fruity gin will be made by Brindle Distillery, Brindle, for Copa Fizz under their label and sell bottles at £45 each.
For every bottle sold, Preston-based mobile bar hire company Copa Fizz will donate at least £10 to Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s 20 Years Anniversary Appeal, which is raising £1.5 million to fund a trio of ground-breaking projects to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the opening of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Rosemere Cancer Centre at the Royal Preston Hospital.
The centre is Lancashire and South Cumbria’s regional specialist cancer treatment centre. It provides all local radiotherapy treatment, specialist diagnostic services and surgery, complex chemotherapy and other highly specialised care.
The gin will be launched at a special tasting evening on Saturday, 10th March, in the distillery bar. Tickets for the event are £12 each and include a donation to the 20 Years Anniversary Appeal. They can be bought via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/charity-gin-launch-tickets-42399693625
The appeal and Rosemere are causes especially close to Copa Fizz’s owner Gillian Bartlett’s heart. Mum-of-two Gillian, of Much Hoole, founded the company just last year with close friend Louise McParland , of New Longton. A year earlier, 41-year-old Louise, also a mum-of-two, had been diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer despite never having smoked and always exercised.
Louise became a patient at Rosemere Cancer Centre but sadly, passed away on 16th January this year, in St Catherine’s Hospice. Gillian said: “I am continuing with the business and all the plans we had for it because I know this is what Louise would want me to do. She was especially keen as the business grew for us to grow our support of Rosemere and launching the Coppa Fizz Rosemere Gin is a way of doing this.
“Louise’s loss is very raw but Copa Fizz has its commitments such as the gin launch and I am having to get on with planning the launch evening. Louise was an inspiration and I was honoured to have her as my friend and business partner. The event has now become more poignant as this was what we wanted to do together."
At the event, there will be entertainment by two local female vocalists, Catherine Sullivan from Leyland and 16-year-old Eve Birtwistle from Bolton. Both are giving their time and talent for free as is Preston-based graphic design company, Design by Gray, which has produced the design for the bottle label and artwork for the posters to promote the event.
The Travelling Pizza Company will also be selling pizzas on the night, including a special Rosemere pizza, recipe to yet be revealed, that will come with a £1 donation to the charity.
Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s corporate fundraising manager Cathy Skidmore said: “Our thoughts are with Gillian, Louise’s family and all who knew her. Louise had a terrific lust for life. Following her diagnosis, she inspired her family to take up running in support of Rosemere, she herself ran a marathon for Rosemere and just last September, Louise and Gillian launched Copa Fizz, which they wanted to use to help Rosemere.
“Louise was a brave, inspirational woman, whose life was way too short.”
Added Cathy: “To share branding on a bottle of gin is something quite novel for Rosemere Cancer Foundation. We are very grateful but of course, I must add that it is advised that any alcohol is only ever drunk in moderation!”
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