Michelin starred chef Glynn Purnell has put his name behind a cancer charity.

The owner of Birmingham’s Purnell’s restaurant is to sponsor Midlands-based Cure Leukaemia, the charity which funds the centre for clinical haematology at University Hospital Birmingham.

It was at the hospital that Georgina Mawle, who died last August at the age of 20 after a 10-year battle with leukaemia, was treated and Mr Purnell knew the family.

He said: “I had been thinking of supporting charities and decided it was best if I picked just one so that I can put all my effort into making a bigger impact. And what better than Cure Leukaemia, a Birmingham charity which aids research and develops new treatments for a disease that affects 7,000 people a year in the Midlands alone.”

Mr Purnell has agreed to sponsor the charity by wearing the Cure Leukaemia badge on all his TV appearances, using the logo on all his aprons and offering shopping and cooking experiences as part of a fund-raising campaign.

Jackie Kelly, general manager at the charity, said: “ With Glynn’s help we can greatly raise awareness of the charity and increase the amount of much-needed funding for the centre.”

Pippa Mawle, sister of Georgina, has just completed a trek to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and raised over £15,000 for Cure Leukaemia along the way.

Twenty-three-year-old Pippa, who lives in Cherington near Shipston, said: “It was a very emotional journey and sometimes was very hard going. Just hours from the top I felt like turning back, but I promised Georgina I would do the trek and it was great when we reached the summit.

“I set myself an initial target of raising £3,000 for Cure Leukaemia but to realise over £15,000 with more funds expected, is wonderful. And with Glynn on board making people more aware of the charity and its work, I am sure we will be able to increase the amount of money going to the research and development of treatments.”