How Alan Carr’s Celebrity Traitors gift will help Neuroblastoma UK

A woman whose family founded the charity Alan Carr has donated her winnings from Famous Traitors, saying the move “stunned” her family.

Neuroblastoma UK was founded in 1982 by Neville and Janet Oldridge, who lived near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, after their son Matthew died of cancer at the age of five.

An average of 11.1 million people tuned in to watch comedian Carr triumph in the final of the TV show, earning a total of £87,500.

Victoria Oldridge, a trustee of the charity, said her mother burst into tears when she found out, adding that the gesture would help fund research and raise more awareness of cancer and charities.

Neuroblastoma affects around 100 children in the UK each year, according to the charity, and usually affects children under the age of five.

The charity, run mainly by volunteers, funds research to improve both the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, as well as raise awareness.

Victoria told the presenter Frances Finn on BBC Radio Lincolnshire He said Carr had been a patron of the charity for nearly nine years and was “incredible”.

He said Carr became involved after meeting with a trustee at an auction where a statue of his head was being offered.

Victoria explained that the comedian thought no one would want the statue and bought it himself. Victoria was told he was in her bathroom.

After learning what the charity did, Carr met parents who had lost children to neuroblastoma and immediately said it was something she wanted to get involved with.

He has been a “tireless advocate” ever since, the charity said.

Carr has previously said it is a “privilege” to support the charity and that he is delighted he can use his platform “to show how amazing this charity is”.

But Victoria said neither she nor her family knew it would be the charity she chose for the TV show until she revealed it during the finale.

“We didn’t know that information, so the excitement when he won and announced the charity…we were absolutely ecstatic,” Victoria said.

“It was a range of emotions from joy [to] emotional… The hope that Alan can keep the legacy of the charity there and the awareness that it will create for us behind it.”

Famous TraitorsIt is a spin-off of the BBC TV show Traitors UK, in which some contestants are designated as “traitors” while the remaining “loyal” contestants attempt to root them out.

After announcing Neuroblastoma UK as her chosen charity, Carr said: “This is a fantastic children’s cancer charity… the money will change lives.”

Victoria was six years old when her brother died of illness.

Matthew had behavioral problems and was thought to be autistic. But Victoria said he may have acted because he could not express his pain.

Then he lost his appetite, started walking with a limp, and started having pain. He was eventually diagnosed with Neuroblastoma.

Victoria said the way the disease was treated was “very aggressive” and “boring” for the child and family.

He said Carr’s donation would help them invest in research for “gentler treatments” and “eventually a cure we all hope for.”

“As a small family unit based in Lincolnshire, we could not have imagined that someone like Alan could give us this platform to raise awareness,” Victoria said.

“I don’t think Alan can understand the tremendous gratitude we feel to him for being our boss and for putting himself through all the lies and deception.”

He said the charity had seen donations pouring in from people watching the show.

“There was a message I saw in the donations the other day: ‘Thank you, Alan, for reminding us of what it means to be human.’ I thought that was lovely,” he said.