FRIENDS of an ‘inspiring’ woman who died from breast cancer are a step closer to achieve her dream of raising £1m for a charity.

Shirley Garman, who founded Wiltshire Breakthrough Breast Cancer Group, started the challenge to raise £1m for breast cancer research. But after 15 years of fighting cancer the 61-year-old died in 2009.

So her friends and co-workers decided to take over her work to honour her. And after years of fundraising events, the group is now only £9,000 short of the target.

Friend Eunice Salmon said: “At this moment of time, we're incredibly stressed because we have set this target date of November 15.”

By the time she died, Shirley had raised more than £700,000 for the charity.

Eunice added: “We're doing this in her honour. She actually died in September, but we thought as October is breast cancer awareness month, it would help us get to the target because of all the fundraising we are doing that month.

“We have done so many events over the years to raise money. We are doing one event a week. It is taking over my life, that’s why I am feeling very stressed because we are so close to the deadline.

“There are lots of people involved. Last week, one of our supporters, Excalibur donated us £500 as part of its salary sacrifice scheme.”

Volunteers will organise several fundraisers next month in a bid to get to the million.

“Shirley would be absolutely over the moon,” said Eunice. “We picked up on her dream. She was the initiator, she lit the flame and she was such an inspiration, a lady that kept on going.

“May be it would have just happened naturally over 20 years, but we have done it to remember her and honour her.”

The group is organising a celebration dinner at Blunsdon House Hotel, The Ridge, Blunsdon, on November 15. Tickets cost £37.50.

The event will feature a three-course dinner, a live band, a raffle and an auction. People will be encouraged to share memories they have with Shirley.

The next fundraiser is a Mamma Mia screening at Christ Church on Saturday from 7.15pm.

For further information about the group visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/522698468133658/