Friends rally round to help young mum Vikki and family (From Penarth Times)

Friends rally round to help young mum Vikki and family

7:50am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

PENARTH residents are being urged to help send a young mum on a family holiday, after medics diagnosed her with terminal cancer.

Staff at the Glenbrook Inn on Dobbins Road in Barry, together with friends and family, have rallied to support 27-year-old mum-of-three Vikki Roberts who became ill in November last year, and was found to have a cancerous tumour in January this year.

Vikki, a former pupil at Stanwell School, who now lives in Palmerston in Barry, has three children under the age of ten.

Supporters are aiming to raise enough to enable Vikki, her partner Lee Davies and children to have a quality-time holiday together in the UK. The pub will hold a fundraising event to help the family, from midday to midnight, on Saturday (September 15).

Glenbrook bar manager and Vikki's friend, Leigh Land said: "The reason we are doing this is to send her on a family holiday with the kids.

"It would maybe be a break away in a caravan, because she is ill and needs to be quite close to home "Somewhere like Tenby would probably be best."

Staff at the pub have already raised almost £500 towards their total - estimated at £1500 - after holding a mini event.

And they are hoping to top up that sum on the weekend, by staging a day of cake and book stalls, raffles and face painting, and family fun for everyone - including a barbecue, a super hero contest and a bouncy castle. Evening entertainment will include singers in the garden, with Digger's Karaoke providing the crowd-pleasing fun from 8pm on.

Glenbrook Inn director Liam O'Leary said: "We are hoping we can raise £1,000 towards the holiday on that particular day alone - that's our plan.

"It's a local situation affecting a local person with links in Penarth as well as Barry, and we hope we are able to bring people in from both areas.

"The important thing is that people turn up and show their support."

The event has been organised by pub chef and Vikki's friend Tracy Sherlock together with Leigh, Liam, and the other pub staff.

For further details about the event and how you can help, email enquiries@glenbrookinn.com