A COUPLE will celebrate their first wedding anniversary by selling pies in aid of a North East cancer centre.

Julie and Neil Fletcher, who run award-winning Middlesbrough artisan pie company Pie Jackers, tied the knot on April 21 last year.

On Saturday, instead of taking it easy and raising a glass to their first year as husband and wife, they will be at the Bishop Auckland Food Festival, selling their handmade pies to raise money for Maggie’s Centre at The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

The centre offers support to anyone affected by cancer in the North East and Cumbria.

Mrs Fletcher said: “We are only too pleased to support such a worthwhile cause. We don’t know anyone whose life hasn’t been affected by cancer.

“We have family and friends who have received the life-changing diagnosis and while some have survived, others have tragically lost their lives to the disease.”

On Friday, April 27 the charity will hold Maggie’s Kitchen Table Day and wants people across the region to support the event by getting their friends, family and colleagues round the kitchen table and raising funds.

Mr and Mrs Fletcher, who have won four British Pie Awards since launching Pie Jackers two years ago, will make a special family favourite chicken and leek pie for Maggie’s Kitchen Table Day and donate 50p to the charity for every one sold at the Bishop Auckland Food Festival.

Karen Verrill, Maggie’s centre head, said: “Around 100 people a day visit our Maggie’s Centre.

“We are entirely funded by the local community and hope more businesses and families might consider hosting their own Kitchen Table Day events.

“This could be a coffee morning, bake sale, afternoon tea or supper club – or something more adventurous like cocktails and crafts!

“We’ve created a great pack full of ideas and tools to help people plan their events and would love to hear from anyone who would like to get involved.”

For details or a Kitchen Table Day pack visit maggiescentres.org/kitchen-table-day