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Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel

Charity dinners blossoming in the heart of Chester

More than 90 members of a male cancer charity attended a star-studded charity dinner at The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, raising more than £2,000. All proceeds from the Chester event, which was attended by former Brookside star Dean Sullivan, were given to the Wirral and North Cheshire Prostate Cancer Group, which won a competition to hold a free charity event at the St. John Street based Hotel.

An auction and raffle were held after the dinner, where attendees were also treated to a performance from a belly dancer. With the support of organisations such as The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, the charity will shortly be able to buy a £40,000 scanner, which will be run at Arrowe Park and Clatterbridge Hospitals on the Wirral.

The charity was chosen to be supported by the hotel in order to raise public awareness of prostate cancer, which is the most common male cancer with about 30,000 cases diagnosed each year. The charity urges men over 45 to have regular check ups, particularly if a close relative has been known to have prostate cancer.

This was the second in a series of charity events held by The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, which recently celebrated its first birthday since undergoing a multi-million pound investment. In April, thousands of pounds were also raised for the wives of footballing greats, such as John Barnes and Jan Molby, known as WITCHES (Women In Touch with Claire House).

Kate Halewood, General Manager of The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, said: “We are delighted that thousands of pounds were raised for the Wirral and North Cheshire Prostate Cancer Group, which is a fantastic cause. This was a thoroughly worthwhile event that was very well attended and we are delighted we were able to support the charity. We supported women with the charity lunch in April and now we feel we have supported men with another of our well-attended charity events.”

Lance Yates, co-chairman of the Wirral and North Cheshire Prostate Cancer Support Group, who lives in Frodsham, said: “We cannot thank The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel enough for everything they have done for us. The hotel provided a complimentary meal, as well as use of the venue and facilities. The funds raised will be credited to our equipment fund. We are running a campaign to raise £40,000 in order to buy a Doppler Scanner for the Minimally Invasive Prostrate Cancer Care Unit, which is run by both Clatterbridge and Arrowe Park Hospitals in the Wirral. The scanner is needed for cryotherapy and brachytherapy which are specialist treatments for prostate cancer. After the charity dinner at The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel we are now very close to attaining our target.”

Raffle prizes included a night for two at The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel and dinner for two at The Snooty Fox restaurant.

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CAPTION:

(from left to right) Guests at the charity dinner included former Brookside star Dean Sullivan, Jane Casson, Kevin McMahon and Ronnie McMahon pictured with Calvin Wood, co-chairman of Wirral and Cheshire Prostate Cancer Support Group during a Charity Dinner held at the McDonald New Blossoms Hotel, Chester.

(left to right) Lance Yates, co-chairman of Wirral and Cheshire Prostate Cancer Support Group; Jean Yates, John Leatherbarrow, committee member; Margaret Leatherbarrow, Calvin Wood, co-chairman; Barbara Wood, Brian Webster, treasurer and Irene Webster.

Notes to editor:

The Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel, located in the heart of the historical city of Chester, just off the main shopping street, and only a short walk from Chester’s famous Racecourse, provides the perfect place to stay no matter what the occasion.

With 67 individual bedroom experiences, ranging from smart executive rooms to character feature rooms, four poster and suites, every care has been taken to combine the period charm of the building with modern luxury facilities.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts Limited operates 48 well-located hotels across the UK and ten resorts throughout the UK and Spain. The company employs over 4,400 staff and operates in excess of 3900 rooms.

First established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues, the company was floated in 1996 on the main London Stock Exchange. In 2003, it returned to private ownership and was one of Scotland”s biggest public to private deals at a cost of £620m, which was wholly underwritten by the Bank of Scotland. The Bank now owns 50% of the equity with the remainder held by the management.

The Group”s focus is on developing its strong portfolio of four and five star hotels, with each offering its own character and individuality underpinned with the quality and attention to detail expected of the Macdonald brand. In particular, the company prides itself on the seasonality and provenance of its food within the hotels, from breakfast through to dinner, as well as its wide range of specially selected wines.

The Group has recently embarked on a programme of investment and refurbishment that includes properties such as Macdonald Blossoms in Chester, Macdonald Old England in Windermere and Compleat Angler in Marlow. In addition, the Group recently opened the Macdonald Portal Hotel Spa and Golf in Cheshire in July and the Macdonald Manchester Hotel, situated in the heart of the city centre, adjacent to Piccadilly Station in October 2007.

For more details visit: www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/blossoms/

The Wirral and North Cheshire Prostate Cancer Support Group was formed in 2005. Anybody concerned with prostate cancer can join the Group be they patient, carer, wife or friend.

For more information call the Freephone number: 0808 8082020 or visit: www.prostatecancersupport.org

Macdonald New Blossoms Hotel Contact: Lynn Hunter, Communications Manager Mob: 07944 722631 Tel: 01506 815246

MACDONALD HOTELS Email: lynn.hunter@macdonald-hotels.co.uk

Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood Mob: 07884 493370 Tel: 01244 330000 MARKETING PROJECTS Email: info@marketingprojects.co.uk

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