A LECTURER is hoping to put the "fun" back into fundraising after his wife died from breast cancer.

Dressed as Dennis the Menace, Mike Dennis is encouraging his students to do the same to raise £8,000 for new televisions at Sobell House.

His wife Rachel Kay, 50, spent the last two weeks of her life in 2014 at the hospice in the Churchill Hospital after 11 years of living with cancer.

The 54-year-old senior lecturer in primary science at Oxford Brookes University said: "I wanted to do something that would be fun – Rachel would have wanted that.

"The care she received and the whole family received in those last few weeks at Sobell House was amazing.

"But the one thing we talked about, which we said could do with some TLC of its own, was the TVs.

"All Rachel wanted to do was watch the Great British Bake Off but the televisions had a tricky login procedure and when you finally switched them on the picture and sound quality was poor."

Mr Dennis, who lives in Headington, will be holding a fundraising event tomorrow.

He hopes his students and colleagues at the Harcourt Hill Campus will join him in dressing up and donating £2 each to raise money for the new televisions.

He added: "It is only a small thing, but it will make the biggest difference to these patients and their families.

"In her last days she was lovingly and professionally cared for by the staff and was able to live and die with dignity.

"We have three boys who were 19, 17 and 13 at the time.

"While Rachel was in hospital our two eldest sons were awaiting exam results.

"Both the nursing staff and the doctors took a real interest in this and it was great that they made time to discuss our lives outside and take an interest in our children."

Mr Dennis said he will be organising a party later in the year as the next fundraiser, with members of Rachel's family taking on different challenges.

Dominique Cadiou, head of fundraising and communications at Sobell House, said: "We’re committed to ensuring that every patient who spends time with us has the home comforts they need at such a difficult time.

"It’s the little things that can mean such a lot to a patient, and their family and friends.

"Whether it is a drink of their choice, a particular type of soap for the shower or watching a programme they never want to miss, we want to create a home from home experience for patients staying at Sobell House.

"Mike’s support is really helping us to do that and from everyone at Sobell House we’d like to say thank you."

For more information and to donate visit: justgiving.com/the-sobellevision-project