Partner Article

North East SME helps to tackle cancer

Fundraising by SME’s are an essential part of any charity appeal. These smaller businesses are operated by people who understand the needs and lives of their customers. They’re an essential part of the communities they serve, being ideally placed to galvanise their customer base in support of a worthy local cause.

Northumberland fishing shop, Rod and Tackle is an example of this having netted an amazing £2,841 to support the work of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, part of Newcastle Hospitals Charity.

The Cramlington-based business harnessed the loyalty and passion of their customers and suppliers to raise the money with a special shopping day with demonstrations and a raffle that was enthusiastically received by the angling community. Fundraising efforts such as this can be a huge win-win for a business and their stakeholders.

Rod and Tackle’s David Hogg says: “We know that everyone is affected by cancer one way or another, so this generosity shouldn’t really come as a surprise. But we’re really pleased by how everyone joined in with our efforts for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

“Last year we raised just short of £1,900 so it feels good to beat that total knowing the money will be so well-used.”

Construction of the £30m Sir Bobby Robson Institute will begin this year and is being funded by The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation to be the best possible environment to provide patient-centred cancer care and research, and to find new and faster ways to detect and treat cancer.

With over £20 million raised so far thanks to the generosity of Sir Bobby Robson Foundation supporters including numerous SME’s, the fundraising campaign is now entering a critical phase to turn the vision into reality and to raise the final funds to complete and fully equip the Institute by 2027.

Jane Curry, community fundraising manager for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, says: “We’re really grateful to everyone at Rod and Tackle for this fantastic support. The money raised will all go towards construction of the new Sir Bobby Robson Institute and I know that’s very important to Grant and David.

“Clinical trials of new treatments are vital to making progress, and the new Institute will make a huge difference for local cancer patients as well as cancer research more widely.”

If your business can fundraise to help build the Sir Bobby Robson Institute please contact Kate Bradley kate.bradley14@nhs.net or call 0191 213 7235.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Andy Atkinson .