The “overwhelming generosity” of churchgoers at the service of a much-loved vicar has seen over £1,000 donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

The Revd Chris Warren, who retired in September as team vicar in the Saffron Walden and Villages Team Ministry due to ill health, asked for the collection at his recent farewell service to be divided between two charities, including Macmillan.

On behalf of St Mary’s Church, associate priest Revd Paula Griffiths presented a cheque for £1008.23 to Richard Luckes, chairman of the Saffron Walden committee for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Revd Griffiths said: “We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the collection. It was a great tribute both to the rich ministry of Chris Warren and to the work of Macmillan Cancer Support which is a tower of strength to so many cancer patients, their families and friends.”

Macmillan Cancer Support is now in its 102nd year. In 2012 it helped 5.7 million people in the UK affected by cancer. Its services include Macmillan nurses, doctors and cancer care centres.

The charity assisted many more people to get support within their own community by increasing the total number of Macmillan professionals to 7,848.

Several thousand people were helped with the cost of travelling to hospital for regular treatment. All this plus much more is funded entirely through the generosity of donors and supporters.