A Walthamstow couple have been recognised after raising more than £20,000 for a blood cancer charity.

Natasha Palladino, 28 and Daniel Rafferty, 27, led a group of their family and friends who were crowned challenge team of the year by research charity Bloodwise at a ceremony last week.

The team went on a fundraising mission inspired by Natasha’s father, Ciro, 57, who was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2007 and is now in remission after a stem cell transplant.

Dubbed “Team Ciro”, the couple and their firends completed 14 challenges in 2017, including the Blenheim Palace Triathlon, to raise £20,000 for research into leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

Natasha said: “Team Ciro was born out of the belief that we are stronger when we work together.

“We could never have imagined just how far that would take us when we embarked on our fundraising journey a year ago.

“It was an honour to be represented amongst so many inspiring people with stories of incredible fundraising feats, as well as astonishing courage on journeys to recovery.

“Our 27-strong team are proud to have been able to contribute to the lifesaving research that Bloodwise funds.

“We hope that through our efforts, many more families like mine can be gifted precious extra time with their loved ones.”

Team Ciro were also commended for the triathlon team of the year at the Bloodwise ceremony.

Their youngest member, Poppy, was commended for the “young unstoppable award”, after riding 10 times around her local park to raise £800 for the charity.

For more information, visit: bloodwise.org.uk.