THE campaign to bring a radiotherapy centre to Swindon, slashing travel time for cancer patients in north Wiltshire receiving treatment, has received nearly £2,000 a day over the past year.

Brighter Futures is celebrating the first anniversary of its appeal, having raised £685,000 towards the £2.9m project.

The £2.9 million appeal hopes to fund the equipment at the heart of a new Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust radiotherapy unit on the Great Western Hospital site in Swindon.

The equivalent of £1,872 has been raised each day since hundreds of coloured balloons were released to mark the start of the radiotherapy appeal on May 28 last year.

The Malmesbury League of Friends, a philanthropic group who donate to health causes concerning people in Malmesbury and surrounding areas, have got behind the campaign.

They have donated a total of £50,000 in the past 12 months to Brighter Futures campaign and the group’s chairman Robin Clark has described it as “a wholly worthy cause”

He said: “We know that there are many people living in the Malmesbury area who have to travel the 110-mile round trip to Oxford on a daily basis while undergoing radiotherapy treatment and we know how tiring and stressful it can be for them and their families.

“We want to see radiotherapy treatment brought closer to home as quickly as possible and are pleased to make this second donation to help this become a reality for local people.”

Kevin McNamara, trustee for Brighter Futures, said the response from the community has been “phenomenal”.

“Everyone involved has been completely blown away by the response we’ve had from local people and businesses,” he said.

“What’s important now is that we remain focused on raising the money to provide the people of Swindon with a radiotherapy unit that will be used for generations to come.”

“There’s a long way to go before we reach £2.9m but I have every confidence that with the help of our supporters we’ll get to where we need to be.”

Anyone wishing to support the Radiotherapy Appeal can find out how to donate by visiting the Brighter Futures website at brighterfuturesgwh.nhs.uk