Volunteers have celebrated 25 years of raising funds for Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, which funds research.

To date, volunteers in the island, led by local fundraiser Angie Aire MBE, have raised near to £1.8 million for Breast Cancer Now to help the charity reach its goal.

Its aim is to ensure that, by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer will live, and live well.

To celebrate the milestone volunteers hosted a silver screen premiere-themed ball at Woodbourne House in Douglas.

True to the old-Hollywood theme, guests dressed for the red carpet and enjoyed dinner and dancing.

During the evening, videos and messages from Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now and Bill Freedman, founder of legacy charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, were shared to congratulate the volunteers on their milestone.

To end the evening, a raffle and auction was held, which raised over £5,000 for Breast Cancer Now’s research.

The Manx group was started by Jan Brooks MBE and Barbara Thorn, who began raising funds in 1993 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer, which later merged with Breast Cancer Campaign in 2015 to form Breast Cancer Now.

Angie Aire MBE, volunteer for Breast Cancer Now, said: ’We really enjoyed celebrating our 25th anniversary of fundraising for Breast Cancer Now at Woodbourne House/

’It was a special way to celebrate raising vital funds for breast cancer research since 1993. Special thanks to our wonderful volunteers for their hard work, and to the generosity of the Manx people who have supported us and donated so generously over the years.

’We want everybody in the Isle of Man to join us in future fundraising events for Breast Cancer Now, to help us move a step closer towards our 2050 goal when we believe that everyone diagnosed with breast cancer will live - and live well.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: ’We are truly grateful for each and every one of our wonderful, and truly dedicated the Isle of Man volunteers for their continued support, and we would like to congratulate them on reaching this incredible 25-year milestone.

’Breast cancer is still the most common cancer in the UK, and one in eight women will develop the disease in their lifetime. Sadly, this month alone, more than 1,000 women will die from breast cancer.

’This is why Breast Cancer Now is dedicated to funding research to find new ways to prevent, detect and treat breast cancer. We rely on the help of our amazing supporters to help us reach a day when nobody will lose their life to breast cancer - with the support of our volunteers on Isle of Man, we will get to that day sooner.’