Cancer Charity Thanks Firm For 'Staggering Support' Over The Past Two Years

Sheffield charity Cavendish Cancer Care has received a huge cash boost after law firm Irwin Mitchell handed over a total donation of £50,000.

The Charity has provided care and support over the last two years to almost 3000 people affected by more than 40 different types of cancer. The fundraising done by the staff of the Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation will cover the costs of the care given to all those affected by breast cancer during this time.

The Irwin Mitchell Charities Foundation (IMCF) named Cavendish their ‘Charity of the Year’ for two successive years and the law firm’s staff have been taking part in a staggering array of events and activities to help raise funds.

Across 2009 staff raised a total of £22,000 through fundraising and work in kind. Highlights included a 36 hour darts marathon and a mammoth walk to work by a solicitor who trekked from Manchester to the firm’s Sheffield office.

Lady Neill, a Vice-President of Cavendish Cancer Care, collected the donation on behalf of the charity at a champagne drinks reception at Irwin Mitchell’s Riverside East offices last night (Thursday 10 February). 

She said: “Everyone who has organised an event, supported a ‘do’ or done the essential digging deep into their pockets over the last two years has provided vital funding to keep the doors of this very special local charity wide open for the people of Sheffield.  We can’t thank everyone enough for their generosity and support.”

In 2010 staff surpassed this by taking part in even more events including the London marathon, the Sheffield half marathon (winning the Corporate Challenge for the second year running), a national quiz, a netball tournament for 200 people and released a charity single on iTunes. A total of £28,000 has been donated for 2010.

As well as a five-figure cash donation, Irwin Mitchell has also helped Cavendish out with printing services, design work and PR and legal support. They also held regular markets where staff sold books and cakes to other organisations and businesses invited to the office.

An estimated 1.2 million people in the UK are living following a diagnosis of cancer and, as cancer incidence rises and cancer mortality falls, the number of people living with cancer will grow significantly over the coming decade 

Sally Eustace, Corporate Partnership manager at Cavendish Cancer Care, said: “We are completely blown away by Irwin Mitchell’s hugely generous donation. Never in a million years did we expect to receive such as massive boost, especially in the current economic climate. It really is incredible that there are so many people at the firm who care and are willing to spend time and money supporting us.

“We are extremely grateful for the assistance we receive and can’t thank Irwin Mitchell enough. We rely on donations such as this to be able to provide a high level of quality of care that impacts upon the lives of the people we work with.”

Karen Codling, Associate Director at Irwin Mitchell and now a trustee at Cavendish Cancer Care, said: “We were delighted to continue our support for Cavendish which is a remarkable organisation. We love all our fundraising activities, and my new position as a trustee for the charity will ensure a lasting involvement for Irwin Mitchell in the excellent work the charity performs.

“I would also like to thank every single member of our staff who contributed to the cause, both this year and last. It is imperative that we help support organisations such as Cavendish. There are a number of Irwin Mitchell staff and their relatives that have received support in dealing with cancer so it was an obvious choice for our Charity of the Year.”