Maggie's Highland cancer charity fundraiser is set to run and run
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A cancer charity that brings comfort to sufferers and their friends and family, is set to benefit from a runaway fundraising success.
Hundreds of men and women in and around Inverness have signed up to jog 50 miles by the end of January to raise funds for Maggie’s Highlands.
It amounts to a timely boost for Maggie’s which, like many charities, has been hit by a downturn in fundraising activities amid the pandemic.
Andrew Benjamin, Maggie’s local fundraiser, said: “A total of 1600 people in the Highland area have committed to a much-needed cash-raising effort for us.
“Last year the pandemic made things incredibly challenging for fundraising, but we worked closely with other Maggie’s centres across the UK to focus on making sure that people with cancer got the support they needed, at a time when they needed it the most.
“We’re in another pandemic year, so it’s vital to keep fundraising to make sure we can help people at what is possibly the hardest time of their lives.”
Mr Benjamin believes the fitness element of the fundraiser has chimed with participants.
“Running a total of 50 miles has really struck an amazing chord during lockdown and we’re hopeful it can raise a substantial amount for the Highlands Centre,” he said.
Maggie’s Highlands, based beside Raigmore Hospital, helped 11,000 cancer sufferers, friends and family in 2020 and, with the volume of delayed diagnosis due to the pandemic, expects to break that record this year.
Tulloch Homes have this week donated £2500 and Mr Benjamin added: “This donation will enable our Highland unit to operate for a day, and every day counts.
“Tulloch have been a generous supporter over the years and chipping in this latest sum from a Christmas Party that didn’t happen is another highly welcome gesture.”
Lorna Cameron, Tulloch’s human resources director, said: “Maggie’s does such great work and is admired by so many local families. We hope this influences other people or businesses to contribute a similar sum to keep it open for a day.
“We have also donated £2500 to Macmillan Cancer Care locally and will continue to try to put something back into the communities we serve.”
