AIREDALE Hospital’s cancer unit is on song following its latest donation.

The unit has received £450 from the Silsden-based Cobbydale Singers.

For one member of the group, the cause has added significance – Christine Whinnerah has been a patient at the unit over the past year.

The singers raised the money at a concert celebrating their 25th anniversary.

Elaine Isherwood, who started the group, said: “When we formed there were just six of us to begin with.

“I’d been asked to sing some solos at a disabled club in Silsden and thought I don’t really want to do this on my own, so I invited along some friends of mine who were also singers.

“We did this little concert and enjoyed it so much we thought we would carry on with the singing.

“Rehearsals were held in Christine’s dining room, but we got too big for there.

“One of our members was a deacon at South Craven Baptist Church and she offered us a room there – and we’ve been there ever since!

“Most of our singers live in Silsden and we’ve done a lot of fundraising over the past 25 years, plus we perform a charity concert every year.”

Elaine said Christine had been “amazing”.

“She is now coming out of the other side of her treatment and she has sung with us throughout,” Elaine added.

“She managed to sing in the 25th anniversary concert at Silsden where we fundraised for this donation.

“They are a fantastic group of ladies – they really are committed – and we’re delighted to support the hospital in any way we can.”

Tribute is paid to the singers by hospital bosses.

Pat Dyminksi – lead clinical nurse specialist for haematology, oncology and chemotherapy at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust – said: “We are very grateful to the singers for this donation.

“We’re going to be replacing the chairs on the unit soon and we plan to use the money to buy some new reclining chairs for our patients, so that they can have their treatment in comfort.”

The singers, who staged their anniversary concert at Silsden Methodist Church last month, were joined at the event by male group Partners in Harmony. Part of the proceeds were also donated to the Friends of Silsden Town Hall.