Banana man in a-peel for 10k support

A good luck handshake for banana man Chris Hoyle from the Mayor, Councillor Shoab Akhtar

OLDHAM Cancer Support Centre’s Chris Hoyle is taking a break from his duties behind the desk to slip on a banana skin and run in the Manchester 10k.

The 50-year-old grandfather, who was diagnosed with leukaemia five years ago, hopes to raise £2,000 for the Mayor’s Charity.

The support centre, opened by Chris and a band of volunteers 15 months ago, is a beneficiary of the Mayor’s charity this year.

It relies entirely on donations to cover its annual £73,000 running costs, and Chris said: “Every penny raised will help to support patients like myself, carers and families affected by cancer.”

Chris ran in the Manchester 10k four years ago, and is out on training runs every second day to prepare for the race, on May 17.

He said: “I’m building up my training — without my banana suit — but it will be a big challenge for me this time because I am on more medication to manage my leukaemia.”

Urging people to sponsor him, Chris, who has three grown-up children and two grandchildren, said: “I need all the help I can get.”

The cancer support centre offers people with cancer, their family and friends, somewhere to go for support and information.

It also has a bank of 12 complementary therapists who offer their time freely to carry out treatments on people with cancer, and between them they help five or six people every day.

It is based at Failsworth Primary Care Resource Centre in rooms provided by NHS Oldham.

Anyone who wants to sponsor Chris can contact him there on 0161-906 2940 or log on to www.justgiving.com/chrishoyle1