Picture Ref: 77173-14THE boss of a Swindon employment agency has been slaving over a hot oven for the Swindon Cancer Appeal.

Maggie Heavens, managing director of the Field Staff Agency in Commercial Road baked cakes for the appeal to raise a total of £1,083.

Over three days she made 142 cakes using 1,136 ounces of flour and more than 1,000 eggs.

The firm, which finds temporary staff for the Nationwide Building Society, then sold the cakes to bring in the cash.

Simon Turner, from the agency, said: "The cakes were fantastic. You couldn't help but eat a few yourself but, of course, we made sure we put a bit of money in the kitty."

For a week members of staff loaded up cakes into the firm's van and drove to one of Nationwide's five sites in the town to hold a cake sale.

Some staff also donated Easter eggs for a raffle.

Mr Turner said: "Macmillan is a charity we all believe in. It's been our chosen charity for the past year and it is also Nationwide's chosen charity, so it made sense that we worked together in partnership and both supported them.

"Cancer is so widespread. I would think that everyone in our office that's 13 staff probably knows someone who has been affected by cancer. It is such a daily battle for many people that we wanted to do our bit."

Graziella Campisano, who runs the Swindon Cancer Appeal, said: "It is brilliant to hear about the lengths people will go to raise money for Macmillan. And its amazing to hear that the managing director spent three days slaving over the cakes.

"It goes to show the commitment people are willing to go to for the appeal."

Many Swindon firms and individuals have been getting in on the Macmillan fundraising act, and the appeal is now well on the way to the final £1 million mark.

With this money Macmillan will train nurses who will be easing pressure on dedicated medical staff.