A MALVERN woman will be taking over a key charity role after a long-serving fund-raiser said a fond farewell to Macmillan Cancer Support on New Year’s Eve.

Hilary Al Rasheed, who lives in Malvern, is replacing Jon Rayner, the area fund-raising manager for Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, who has retired.

Mrs Al Rasheed has been a Macmillan volunteer for 14 years, organising the two hugely successful Malverns by Moonlight walks that raised a combined total of well over £75,000.

She said: “I’m thrilled to be joining as an official member of the Macmillan team and, having worked as a volunteer, I’m hoping that the full-time commitment I will now be able to give will better support our teams of professionals.

“Our aim is to reach and improve the lives of everyone living with cancer and also to inspire others to do the same.”

Mr Rayner joined the charity in 1990. He oversaw countless fund-raising initiatives, including several hugely successful World’s Biggest Coffee Morning campaigns.

Mr Rayner said he would remember two things from his work over the past two decades – the “courage, dignity and positive attitude” of cancer sufferers and the “unflagging energy” of volunteers.