The Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal is saying it with flowers by planting more than 1,000 crocus bulbs in City Park this weekend.

Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins will be backing the appeal at the Positive Bradford event on Saturday, leading a mass bulb-planting creating the shape of a large crocus flower on land next to the Pavilion.

When the bulbs flower in different shades of purple next spring, the crocus shape will highlight the Telegraph & Argus appeal to grow £1 million for cancer research in Bradford.

The T&A’s biggest appeal in a decade, following our Bradford Can... cancer appeal of 2001, is aimed at raising funds for a cutting-edge machine, the spectrometer, enabling the University of Bradford to further its pioneering work in cancer treatment.

We have teamed up with the university, Yorkshire Cancer Research and principal supporter the Sovereign Health Care Charitable Trust to work towards funding the high-tech equipment, which will allow scientists at the university’s state-of-the-art Institute of Cancer Theraputics (ICT) to carry out their work ten times quicker and could lead to new discoveries in the fight against cancer.

Blue Peter gardener Chris and Morrisons are backing the Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal by offering packs of bulbs to people on Positive Bradford day. Chris will be at the Crocus Cancer Appeal market stall throughout the day offering expert advice, and people will be given a crocus to take home.

Chris said: “The answer to many ailments can often lie with plants and it’s fantastic that the University of Bradford has discovered that the humble crocus has so much to offer in the fight against cancer. I look forward to lending my practical gardening skills to a worthy day on Saturday.”

The crocus is the symbol of our appeal because it has helped scientists at the university develop a revolutionary tumour-blasting “smart bomb” cancer treatment.

Researchers at the ICT took a natural compound, colchicine, from the native British flower to create a new chemical entity designed to find and destroy all forms of solid tumour, while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. It could improve the life expectancy of cancer patients because it causes a significant delay in tumour growth and could be a potential cure when used in combination therapy.

Dave Hewitt, communities manager at Morrisons, said: “We’re proud to be supporting the Crocus Cancer Appeal. As champion of our Let’s Grow initiative, Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins is only too happy to dig in and lend a hand to help raise awareness of this important cause.”

Davide Calogero, head of development at the university, said: “We’re counting on the people of Bradford to get behind the Crocus Cancer Appeal and help us to reach our £1 million target.

“The work happening here at the University of Bradford could enable further breakthroughs in new cancer treatments which will benefit people not only in Bradford but potentially worldwide.”

  • For more information about the Crocus Cancer Appeal and to download your fundraising pack, visit crocus.brad.ac.uk

Donations to the Bradford Crocus Cancer Appeal have been received from: Mrs J Edbury, Baildon Mrs C Taylor, Bradford Mr D Wood, Bradford Mrs D Lightowler, Bradford R Harrison Pakistan Society of West Yorkshire D W Booth, Bradford E A Nelson, Bradford B Kingham, Bradford C Crowther, Bradford T L Woods University Cash Collection G & F J Green Mrs M Basic Mr R H W Fisher G & M A Eccles S Fryer Mrs A C Shaw