ONE of the most popular Sitting With Jane BookBenches as found a new home

Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club sponsored, and subsequently bought, one of the 24 BookBenches which were dotted around the town last summer.

The bench, called ‘Jane Talk’ was located in Festival Place and now it has been given a new home in the reception area of the Radiotherapy Unit at Basingstoke hospital.

Overall, 22 of the BookBenches were eventually auctioned off and 75 per cent of the £95,000 proceeds raised went to Ark Cancer Centre Charity – one of the local charities that is supported by Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club.

The plan is to relocate Jane Talk in the new cancer treatment centre once this is built on the hospital site.

Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club 2017-18 president Lindy Richardson said: “We are all delighted that this lovely BookBench has a fitting home until it can be located in the new cancer treatment centre.

“Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club is a long-standing supporter of Ark Cancer Centre Charity, having raised over £30,000 for this good cause in recent years, and we were delighted to be involved in, and support, the successful Sitting With Jane project.”

Mark Jones, director of fundraising and communications at Ark Cancer Centre Charity, said: “The charity is grateful to Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club for their fantastic support. By being one of the sponsors, the club helped Sitting With Jane to happen, and by buying one of the BookBenches, the members played a key role in delivering an amazing result for the charity.

“Basingstoke Deane Rotarians have made a massive difference to Ark by raising funds for, and awareness of, the charity and the cancer treatment centre project, and it is great to see their BookBench installed in the reception area of the Radiotherapy Unit.”

Ark Cancer Centre Charity’s £5m appeal will ensure a range of support services and therapies are available in a cancer treatment centre at the Basingstoke hospital site.