Support groups walk, kayak and dance for funds

NEXT MONTH WILL BE A BUSY ONE FOR CANCER SUPPORT FRANCE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS AS THE CHARITY IS PLANNING FUN EVENTS ACROSS FRANCE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF ITS WORK HELPING ENGLISH-SPEAKERS

AFFECTED BY CANCER. Events will be organised by the 15 local CSF associations with numbers boosted by the three recently started groups in Paris, Lot-et-Garonne and in Vienne. Activities

will reflect mem­bers’ interests and will various­ly include walks, canoeing and dances. Full details will appear on the local CSF websites (find them on the cancersupportfrance.org national

site) and events are open for everyone to take part and learn more about CSF. CSF Languedoc is hosting its major get-together event with the Walk for Life on September 17 at Domaine de la

Clapière, Montagnac. It has options of a 5km or 10km walk on either tracks or firm ground. Fish and chips will be on offer and the domaine will have its wines available for tasting and

purchase and there will be a range of other products and second-hand books for sale. CSF Dordogne Sud has opted for a country barn dance at Les Andrieux, Nojals et Clottes with music from

rock to rumba. An interlude of Scottish dancers (imported from Castillones) will lead the dancing. A spit-roasted pig crowns the evening’s menu and the €22 event on September 8 starts with a

glass of bubbly. CSF Sud de France will host two walks on September 10 in Pyrénées-Orientales with one gentle and one challenging. They will be followed by a picnic with music and stalls.

In Aude, a medium fitness walk will be held on September 12, followed by a picnic. These events follow the successful third CSF Cycle for Life ride, which took place in June along 200km of

the canals and coastal paths from Car­cassonne to Sète on the Mediterranean. In all, 42 riders took part but Chris Dowd in Hautes-Pyrénées had a rethink as temperatures rose and he decided

to cycle a 100km route each day near home to raise €500. Held in memory of CSF founder Linda Shepherd, the ride raised more than €5,000 for CSF National to support its training programme and

annual trainers conference, plus the new groups such as the new Paris-Île-de-France, who cannot yet fund a trainer. Proceeds from September events will be split 50:50 between the local

group and CSF National for this reason. CSF support activities across France cost €125,000 a year. There are plans for a two-week Cycle for Life in 2018.