IT started as a hobby, but a Warrington man is now using his jam-making talent to fundraise for a cancer charity after being diagnosed with the disease earlier this year.

Alister Cook moved into a new house in Higher Whitley which hosts a variety of fruit trees and bushes in the garden.

Not wanting to see the produce go to waste, Alister started making jams and chutneys.

This was using a range of fruits and vegetables – from damsons, apples, rhubarb, raspberries and blueberries to chillis, peppers and tomatoes.

His hobby grew even further during the lockdowns and he started to give his jams and chutneys away to friends and family.

He soon became known as the ‘The Cheshire Jam Man’.

Warrington Guardian:

But Alister didn’t want to take any payment for the produce and wondered if people could donate to a cause instead.

So he set up a JustGiving page to give people the option to donate to Lymphoma Action, a cause very close to his heart.

Alister was diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, earlier this year and he has been receiving treatment since.

Talking about his diagnosis, Alister said: “I discovered I had follicular lymphoma by chance following a routine prostate check.

“It’s one of the less aggressive cancers but I still needed treatment with a mixture of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

“After a course of R-CVP chemotherapy, I am now on a maintenance treatment.

“Even though I feel lucky compared to people with more aggressive cancers, the chemotherapy has definitely weakened me and changed my mental outlook on work and life.

“Before my diagnosis, I decided to collate my recipes and photographs into a book where proceeds could then go to charity but needed a cause.

“Now the cause has become clear, I still intend to complete the project and compile the book, with proceeds going to Lymphoma Action.”

Senior fundraising manager at Lymphoma Action Amy Billington said: “Every 26 minutes one of us is diagnosed with lymphoma.

“Thanks to the support of people like Alister we can continue to provide vital information and support to make sure no one has to face lymphoma alone.”

Alister’s fundraising page can be found at: www.justgiving.com/page/alister-cook-1698356771782

You can also follow him on Instagram @CheshireJamMan for recipes and further details about his products.

For more information about Lymphoma Action, visit www.lymphoma-action.org.uk