MPs visit their local Cancer Research UK Shop for Volunteers' Week 2011

In May and June top politicians from across the UK visited their local Cancer Research UK shops to help celebrate Volunteers’ Week. These visits were a fantastic way to highlight Cancer Research UK’s local roots and the generosity of our 42,000 volunteers who donate more than seven million hours of their time each year.

George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Conservative MP for Tatton, visited the Knutsford Cancer Research UK shop and met Gail Hanson, a breast cancer survivor who has volunteered in the nearby Alderley Edge shop for 12 years. She commented: “Volunteering at the shop is really rewarding, and allows me to feel that I’m playing my part in beating cancer. It’s amazing to think that I’ve volunteered at a Cancer Research UK shop for such a long time and then to find myself in the position of having to deal with the disease last year.”

Jo Swinson, Liberal Democrat MP for East Dunbartonshire, visited her local shop in Milngavie, and met Cathie Maguire, who has been volunteering in the shop for six years. Ms Swinson said: “I was very pleased to show my support for Cancer Research UK’s Milngavie shop, and it was great to have an experienced volunteer like Cathie Maguire to tell me more about all the hard work behind the scenes.”

Dan Jarvis is the Labour MP for Barnsley Central. He visited the Barnsley shop and met volunteers as well as steaming some clothes and working on the till. We are delighted he has offered to run the London Marathon in aid of Cancer Research UK in 2012, and he discussed ways in which we could use the shop to help in his fundraising drive in the local community.

Other MPs who visited their local Cancer Research UK shop were: Paul Burstow MP, Minister for Care Services with responsibility for cancer policy, (Liberal Democrat, Sutton and Cheam); Rt Hon Francis Maude MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office (Conservative, Horsham); George Freeman MP (Conservative, Mid Norfolk); Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP, Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Liberal Democrat, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey); Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (Labour, Camberwell and Peckham); Angela Eagle MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Labour, Wallasey); and Marina Yannakoudakis MEP (Conservative, London).

If you would like to volunteer in your local Cancer Research UK shop, please see the volunteering pages.