The annual fundraising event The Climb of Life has raised a fantastic £100,157, bringing the grand total raised by the team over the last eight years to over £600,000.
The event organised by Graeme Chapman MBE, included a fundraising auction and raffle, in addition to corporate support and individual sponsorship. Graeme said: “I found it hard to believe that we could have beaten the previous year’s total. When I made the announcement the noise was deafening.”
The eleven challenging mountain treks took place in the glorious setting of The Lake District on Friday 7 November, with 120 people taking part. The weather was surprisingly good all day and the sun managed to shine through occasionally for the teams to enjoy the stunning Cumbrian scenery.
Representing The Institute of Cancer Research was the ICR’s own Dr Udai Banerji. Dr Banerji, a keen mountain walker, said: “I was touched by the enthusiasm and selfless energy of everyone involved in raising funds for the ICR. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to people from many walks of life during the weekend - they truly are a remarkable lot. Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved for setting a new fundraising record this year.”
The event was generously supported by office supply industry leaders VOW Vasanta and Office Products International (OPI), and the industry magazine Channel Info. Team VOW Vasanta were this year’s top corporate fundraiser, raising £25,000 with Team OPI following closely with £18,000. The Swan Hotel in Grasmere once again kindly hosted the weekend’s celebrations with local businesses donating auction and raffle prizes.
The support and commitment of industry sponsors and individuals in organising and supporting the event is hugely appreciated.
This year’s Climb of Life was dedicated to the memory of Cyril Rothwell who sadly died of cancer in October, just a few weeks before the event. The Rothwell family have been strong supporters of the Climb of Life and the ICR, taking part every year with Cyril’s son and daughter both regularly leading some of the more challenging climbs. The group remembered Cyril during a minute of silence during the presentation.
For more information about the Climb of Life, contact the ICR events team on 0207 153 5307 or [email protected].