Man, 91, reaches target of £1 million for cancer charity after daughter was diagnosed with disease
A 91-year-old man has raised over £1 million for charity after his daughter was diagnosed with cancer as a child.
Michael Locke, from Newport started fundraising for Cancer Research UK over forty years ago when his youngest daughter, who he describes as a 'miracle' was diagnosed with the disease when she was still in school.
After she finished her treatment, he made it his mission to give back to the charity who helped save his daughter's life.
"It started off in a small way with coffee mornings with a group of friends", he said.
"Then, being a member of the local golf club, I got permission to run a charity golf day which has been very successful and very popular.
"I got a bit of a name amongst my golfing friends for making marmalade and because it was so popular, I thought I'd better start selling this.
"I've noticed over the years, I've made more than two thousand jars of marmalade for charity."
In 2007, he was awarded an MBE by the late Queen for his charitable work.
He said: "That MBE in my mind has always been an 'M' for me, Mike, the 'B' is for Bridget, my wife, and the 'E' was for everybody else that helped."
"We hit the million in July of this year", he added.
"Yes, it's a milestone but we were happy with £950,000 because we knew whatever we did would help towards the research that's going on.
"In my lifetime I won't see cancer beaten but I'm jolly sure that in my children's lifetime it will be beaten and it's only as a result of efforts like this and others that we'll see that happen."
Michael is one of the four final nominees for ITV Cymru Wales' Fundraiser of the Year Award.
The winner will join winners from the other ITV regions, for the chance to win Pride of Britain's Fundraiser of the Year.