Well, this is a first for us - we are normally all about trying to show what a great place Heanor and Ripley is and making people feel happy, this time we're helping to make people feel blue - but all is not as it seems.

A charity that helps young people across the UK fight cancer is giving local people permission to feel ‘blue’ for the day for a special fundraiser and thebestof Heanor and Ripley are proud to be getting involved as part of our network's national support of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Trust is urging our local offices, shops, schools, clubs, workplaces etc to embrace the colour blue for its first ever ‘Blue Day’ on Friday 14 October. Get involved, wear blue or organise other blue themed activities such as eating blueberry pancakes for breakfast, making blue cocktails, holding a blue party or blue book sale - anything goes so get creative. 

And if you have a sweet tooth the Teenage Cancer Trust has special blue cupcakes which can be ordered and delivered directly to your home or workplace and can then be sold on to family, friends and colleagues, alongside the charity’s blue wristbands and blue pin badges.

This brilliant event has been organised to raise funds to help build a new special unit for treating teenage cancer patients, giving them a dedicated place where they can be treated with others their own age, in an environment suited to their needs. This unit will complement the existing 17 others the charity has already built in NHS hospitals across the UK.

Every day six young people from across the UK between the ages of 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer. Usually placed on a children’s ward or adults ward normally alongside elderly patients, young people often feel extremely isolated when facing a cancer diagnosis. Teenage Cancer Trust units are designed to be as close as possible to a young person’s normal life outside hospital. The state-of-the-art units are bright and vibrant and will often include pool tables, jukeboxes, computers and webcams, helping them keep in touch with others and cope with grueling treatment and often long stays in hospital. 

To receive a free Blue Day fundraising pack with lots of bright blue ideas and free Blue Day promotional items as well as to order some cupcakes email blueday@teenagecancertrust.org or call 07534 261245.

For more information on Teenage Cancer Trust visit www.teenagecancertrust.org or call 020 7612 0370.

Please mention thebestof Heanor and Ripley if you contact the Teenage Cancer Trust

We'd love to hear about the events and activities you've planned for the day - use the comments box below to tell us what you're up to and just how Blue you're going to be on 14th October.  Lets see who can be the most creative...