HALSTEAD Rotary Club has donated £500 to Diabetes UK to be spent on supporting patients within the town.

President Keith Brownlie, and Ian Johnson, managing director of Master Craftsman on Halstead High Street, presented the cheque to Karen Balaam, the diabetes nurse who operates from Halstead's Courtauld surgery.

Mr Brownlie, who suffers from type 2 diabetes, was delighted to present the cheque to Karen, and insisted the money will stay in Halstead to help patients in the town.

He said: "Karen is a little star, she does a lot of work and it really goes unnoticed.

"She has helped me a lot personally, and she helps a lot of diabetes sufferers across the town, so it was a pleasure to see her and a pleasure to help.

"It is all about raising awareness really, a lot of people don't realise they have diabetes but if you catch it early enough, there is a lot can be done.

"We really want to spread some knowledge, more and more people are being diagnosed, so a little bit of knowledge goes a long way.

"I was really lucky, as soon as I saw Karen she diagnosed me immediately and has offered me so much support since.

"I have got healthy, lost a lot of weight, and look like I might be able to beat this now, and that's largely down to Karen."

Nurse Karen was delighted to receive the cheque and will be supporting Keith's initiative with a diabetes forum to be held early in the New Year.

She informed the club that diabetes was an illness on the increase particularly in younger patients and people in Halstead need to better understand how to recognise the early onset and be aware that early diagnosis can really make a difference.

Mr Brownlie was elected as Halstead Rotary President at the start of August, and is supporting Diabetes UK and Halstead Hospital with the group's fundraising throughout the year.

Email rotary@halsteadrotary.org to get involved.