Strictly more cake please Ore

The event, which took place at Soho’s Muriel’s Kitchen, on Monday February 20 was held ahead of the spectacular gala night of ‘The Girls’, a new musical in support of blood cancer charity Bloodwise.

Ollie Harrison was diagnosed with a rare combination of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia in October 2012 after his mum noticed he had a swollen testicle. He was just three years old. Ollie was sent by ambulance to London’s Royal Marsden Hospital and underwent treatment shortly afterwards, completing the course in January 2015.

Ollie, along with brothers Daniel, 12 and Stanley 3, joined a group of blood cancer patients and their families at Muriel’s Kitchen, to be served tea, cake and sandwiches by the celebrities.

Ollie was also reunited with fellow patient Andrew Berthoud, 7, diagnosed with the same type of blood cancer as Ollie. The young pair struck up a friendship in hospital after undergoing treatment.

Ollie’s mum Emma says catching up with Andrew and his family was a treat, adding: “Ollie thinks Ore is so cool and was really excited to meet him and have pictures taken with him.”

Ore Oduba says it was a privilege to sit with the families whose lives have been changed thanks to the tireless work of Bloodwise.

The Girls musical will support Bloodwise the charity long associated with the original Calendar Girls and their story. Angela Baker lost her husband John, to non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1998, sparking the idea to create the now infamous ‘alternative’ Women’s Institute calendar. The ladies have raised millions of pounds for research into blood cancers.

Bloodwise is launching a new fundraising campaign ‘Tea With The Girls’. For more information or to host your own event, visit: www.bloodwise.org.uk/tea-with-the-girls