A man with macular degeneration has put together a collection of his poetry to raise funds to fight cancer.

Albert Douglas Gillen, aged 76, from Weymouth, has placed poems he has written over the years in one volume to raise money for Dorset County Hospital Charity’s Cancer Appeal.

The booklet, called Some Rhyme Time, has already been sold by Albert to raise £200 each for Julia’s House children’s hospice and Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.

Now Albert has his sights on the fight against cancer.

Albert said: “The books have sold and everyone has said they enjoy them. There is not just one theme, there is something in it for everybody.”

The nearly 50-strong collection contains poems about Weymouth and Portland, as well as about Cambodia, where his son lives and works.

Albert has been writing poetry for many years and some of his poems have won prizes in international competitions and been published.

He has already sold 25 books in aid of the cancer appeal, raising £125, meaning he is well on his way to raising his target contribution of £500. 

He has managed to do this despite having distortions in his left eye when reading due to his macular degeneration. 

Albert himself has also suffered from facial cancer and he said that the staff at Dorset County Hospital looked after him well while he was in their care.

He added that his main reason for choosing to support the cause was the care and treatment his friends have received while at the hospital.

The money raised by the Cancer Appeal will go towards new cancer treatment facilities, in part so that people will no longer have to travel to Poole to receive radiotherapy.

For the most part he is selling them individually to people, but there will also be a chance to purchase his booklet at Holy Trinity Church during the churches’ Open for Art 2017 exhibition from Saturday, May 20, to Sunday, June 4. 

Albert will also be selling them at the Masonic Hall in Portland at a sale in November.

After raising the £500 for Dorset County’s Cancer Appeal he hopes to raise money for another charity with his booklets of poetry.

He said: “I want to keep the process going for as long as I have the books.”

Simon Pearson, head of fundraising at Dorset County Hospital Charity, said the Cancer Appeal was going tremendously well, but that they still need people’s help.

He said: “We are over the one million pound mark but we’ve still got a significant amount to raise and need the support of the local community.” 

To find out more about the Cancer Appeal, telephone 01305 253215