Baker raises £1.4 million for cancer charity after losing her husband

Video report by ITV News Meridian's Mary Stanley

Three months ago, we began our search for the ITV Meridian Fundraiser of the Year, as part of the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards.

Hundreds of you nominated wonderful fundraisers from your communities. All this week, we will tell you about our region's finalists and on Friday (October 1), we'll be crowning one of them as the Meridian winner.

Pam Goldsmith, 85, from Sussex has dedicated 25 years to raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support after losing her husband to the disease.

She has helped her local group in Billingshurst raise £1.4 million pounds by baking - sometimes making more than 20 cakes in a week.

Even a broken hip and lockdown did not stop Pam.

Pam said: "There aren't many days when I'm not baking cakes because even if we haven't got an event, people phone up and say can you do me a cake."

Pam's cakes are now famous, bringing customers from far and wide. All her cakes are sold for Macmillan Cancer Support, which is funding care and equipment at a specialist cancer unit in Midhurst.

Terri Ashpool, Billingshurst Macmillan support group, said: "We have film nights. We have markets. We do catering for parties. We do events like this. We do outside events. In the past we've done barn dances and quiz nights, anything we can do to raise money really."

Pam lost her husband Trevor to cancer in 1996 and has dedicated the last 25 years raising money to help others fighting the illness.

She was nominated by her family, who say she is an inspiration.

Caroline Foster, Pam's daughter, said: "She still finds it really difficult to talk about my Dad but I think it's kept her going actually having all of this to do. 

"She's always busy every day. You have to make an appointment to see your own mother these days but she's always raising money, always helping everyone, takes them to hospital appointments, bakes cakes, quiches.

"She thinks she doesn't do anything but she really does and she really does help to make a difference, as do all the Macmillan people, and she's my Mum and I think she's a winner."