Veteran fundraiser Carole Ashmore plans to mark her 36 years of charity work with – you guessed it – a charity event to raise money for her latest cause.

The 62-year-old housewife from St George is currently helping to raise the £67,715 needed by the Bristol Oncology Centre for a new head and neck immobilisation system.

"The Friends of Bristol Oncology are trying to raise money for a new head and neck immobilisation system for the Radiotherapy Department," explains Carole.

"The system will ensure patients can be accurately positioned for their radiotherapy treatment, improving the patient's experience and speeding up the procedure.

"I've got lots of events planned, and when I celebrate my 36 years in fundraising next month I will be having a party in St George – with all proceeds going to the appeal."

Raising money for charity is a career, a passion and a vocation for Carole. Over the last three decades the mother-of-two has given up her time for free to help raise thousands of pounds for projects including the Bristol Cancer Open Scanner Appeal and the Cancer Research Campaign.

The fundraiser extraordinaire has had the support of some famous faces in the past, including Somerset musician Acker Bilk and Bristol's Dave Prowse, aka Darth Vader. However, there's one celebrity supporter even closer to home.

Bristol's favourite export, TV presenter Justin Lee Collins, is Carole's nephew and, she tells me, he often rolls up his sleeves and mucks in with Carole's fundraising schemes.

"Justin's a lovely boy and often gets involved with my fundraising," she smiles. "He does a lot for charity and is happy to give up his time for free for something like this."

Having met both auntie and nephew, it's obvious that these two are related – not only is there a striking family resemblance, but both bubble with enthusiasm, possess a great sense of humour and have the capacity to talk the hind legs off a donkey.

"I can talk, can't I?" laughs Carole. "Just tell me if I start to give you an earache. Actually, it comes in handy. The fact that I can talk a lot and that I have the cheek of Old Nick means I have no qualms about going into a shop and asking for a bottle of whisky for a raffle.

"I went to Gardiner Haskins once and was told by lots of people that I would never get anything there, but I came out with a bone china tea set. When you know you're asking for something that isn't for you but is for people who desperately need money, it really gives you that push."

Carole first began fundraising back in 1972. At that time she was dating Richard Jones, the captain of the Bristol St George cricket team, and her mother was working for the Marie Curie organisation.

"I had some spare time on my hands and decided to organise a disco at St George's Cricket Club in aid of Marie Curie, and raised £74," she says.

"That was the very first charity event that I did, and I haven't stopped since."

Carole continued to raise modest amounts of money for Marie Curie before a series of events and tragedies spurred her on to lend her support to a number of other equally deserving organisations.

"A great friend of mine called Jenny Sheridan was diagnosed with a kidney complaint in 1977, at the age of 21, and had to have a transplant," she remembers. "It was a success and she went on to enjoy eight more happy years, which were the healthiest of her life.

"She was just the third patient to have the life-changing transplant at Southmead Hospital, and after that I started to raise funds for Southmead Hospital's kidney unit.

"Another friend of mine, who had supported my fundraising from day one, died of a cardiac arrest in 1989, so I then started raising funds for Bristol's cardiac unit."

By this time, Carole had become well known for her ability to raise funds as well as for her dedication to the charities she supported, and in 1995 she was contacted by the co-ordinators of the Bristol Cancer Open Scanner Appeal.

"They asked me to help raise the money they needed, and I was delighted to get involved," she beams. "I think my work on the Bristol Cancer Open Scanner Appeal is my biggest achievement to date. I, with the help of others, of course, raised thousands.

"That piece of equipment has helped save many lives and it's something I'm very proud of."

Over the years, Carole has gone on to raise thousands for the Bristol Royal Infirmary, arthritis research and Bristol's Special Care Baby Unit.

But the charities that are particularly pertinent to her are those that raise much-needed money for cancer, which is why she is throwing herself into Bristol Oncology Centre's latest appeal with such gusto.

"Cancer charities are so close to my heart," she says. "I lost my mum – Justin's gran – to cancer eight years ago. She died just after the millennium and I don't know how I – or any of us – would have coped if our family hadn't been as close as we are."

Carole says she has always been able to rely on the support of her family, including husband Martin and daughters Carlee and Rhea, through both the good times and the bad – the bad including money worries and health scares.

"I don't gain a penny from doing what I do and as I don't work we've sometimes had to go without," says Carole, "but I would never accept any money for myself – it all goes straight to the charity.

"It has also put me in hospital. In 1989, I organised a fundraising do at The Farmers Tavern in Brean and ended up in Weston General for two weeks. I had collapsed with exhaustion. I knew nothing about it for three days. I had completely run myself in to the ground."

Today, Carole is again selflessly putting her own health to one side because her mind is on other things – fundraising plans.

"I'm due for a hiatus hernia operation soon," she says. "Actually, I feel quite lucky because I thought it could be cancer at one point.

"But before the operation, I'll be raising money down in Brean for Bristol Oncology.

"My good friend Richard House, who owns The Farmers Tavern down there, has helped me fundraise for more than 20 years. Back in 1989 he and the Tavern's visitors raised £1,000 in one evening alone for Bristol's cardiac unit.

"I told him about my current appeal and he agreed that during Country and Western week at The Farmers Tavern [September 26-October 4] we could hold various fundraising events, such as an auction, a raffle ... all sorts.

"I've also got different branches of banks raising money for me among their staff, and other organisations are holding raffles.

"I'll be doing a sponsored walk as well. I've walked to Weston for charity a few times and I've always enjoyed it – apart from the blisters – and raised plenty of money from it.

"Justin will start the walk for us, bless him. He's off filming in America at the moment, but when he gets back I'll get my walking shoes on!"