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Residents and staff from a Salvation Army Lifehouse, which provides accommodation to people who are homeless, are fundraising to help a mum who has been diagnosed with cervical cancer to pay for the treatment she needs.

Swan Lodge Lifehouse in Sunderland has already taken part in two football matches to raise money for Amber’s Law, a charity campaigning on cervical cancer, and the Bradley Lowery Foundation, which raises awareness of Neuroblastoma, having trained with South Shields FC manager and former Sunderland AFC player Julio Arca.

Now they are supporting Jade Nichols, a 33-year-old mum and stepmum, whose family are trying to raise £140,000 to help treat the cancer she was diagnosed with in October 2022.

Andy Smith, support worker at Swan Lodge, said: “Our staff and residents are passionate about helping people in our local community and when they heard about Jade’s diagnosis and the impact it is having on her and her family they were keen to help out.

“We raised money at a recent football match held at South Shields stadium and will be holding further bucket collections, including at Tesco in Roker Retail Park on Saturday 22 July and at the Sunderland AFC versus Real Mallorca game on Saturday 29 July at Stadium of Light. Please come along and give what you can.”

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Assistant headteacher Jade, from County Durham, has been having gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment since the end of last year after doctors discovered a seven centimetre tumour.

Her husband Craig, 33, has launched a fundraising campaign to raise £140,000 for further treatment. The couple are being supported by the Bradley Lowery Foundation, which was set up in 2017 in memory of Bradley Lowery who died aged six of childhood cancer.

Craig, who works as a lift engineer and has two children aged five and two with Jade and an 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship, said: “We are really thankful for everyone’s support including Andy and everyone at Swan Lodge.

"It’s making a big difference because we are going through a lot of trauma at the moment, but I am determined to raise this money and do anything to support Jade get through this living hell and to make sure for the sake of the kids, that their mammy and step mam is going to get better.”

As well as providing a place to stay Swan Lodge offers support to help people overcome the reasons they became homeless in the first place and move on with their lives. Part of that is football and fitness sessions hosted by Argentine national Julio Arca at the South Shields stadium.

Andy added: “We want to thank everyone who is donating to help Jade, Craig and the kids, as well as South Shields FC, particularly Kayleigh, who has not only helped arrange for us to use the pitch for training sessions for our lads and lasses, but has ensured we are able to raise money at the matches to help vital local charities.”

To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/supportjadetodefeatcancer? and for more information on Swan Lodge visit https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/swan-lodge

Charity staff and residents train with South Shields FC manager to fundraise for cervical cancer sufferer