A SUPPORT group have been busy crocheting purple pansies for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

Members of the Purbeck Workshop, a therapeutic craft group supporting those living with or beyond cancer, have been making the flowers to sell as part of Pancreatic Cancer Action’s ‘Turn it Purple’ campaign.

The workshop was set up by Paul Feeny shortly before he passed away from bowel cancer in 2014.

It offers a small and intimate space for people in the Dorset area affected by cancer to relax and have fun through creative activities such as flower arrangements and woodturning.

His wife, Sinead reached out to Pancreatic Cancer Action to discuss possible ways the groups could work together to raise awareness.

She said: "We hope to make them available for sale in our workshop, local tea room, Ruby’s, and other local shops in Wool during November to raise money for Pancreatic Cancer Action.

"In an ideal world, nobody would have need to visit our little workshop. But, sadly people are faced with cancer all too often.

"We at the workshop would like to help in a small way to promote awareness of pancreatic cancer and help fund research into improving early detection and treatments."

Pancreatic cancer is the UK's fifth biggest cancer killer, with the lowest survival rates among common cancers.

Each year, almost 9,000 men and women are newly diagnosed with the disease, with most facing an average life-expectancy of just three to six months due to late diagnosis.

Ali Stunt, Founder of Pancreatic Cancer Action, said: "Every year we are overwhelmed by the huge numbers of supporters who embrace the colour purple to raise awareness. We are very grateful to Purbeck Workshop for organising this event to raise funds and support this very important cause."

As a charity, Pancreatic Cancer Action is committed to working towards earlier diagnoses of the disease so that surgery, currently the only cure, can be made more widely available to sufferers.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.purbeckworkshop.org