Hello from HOPE and welcome to our summer newsletter
We have all been very busy since our last general newsletter. We have renewed and relaunched our Business Club, we have held an Opera, networking events, and a golf day which, by itself, blew our fundraising expectations right out of the water raising over £22,500!
We have refreshed our website, the monthly e-newsletter has returned, we have committed £200,000 to the Hope Cancer Trials Centre and we have added a new member to the fundraising team.
All of this allows us to continue to support cutting edge cancer research and trials that both directly benefit local people and further the national and international effort to overcome cancer.
We would be unable to do any of this without our incredible supporters who continue to go above and beyond to fundraise in the name of HOPE.
In this newsletter you will read about some of their incredible efforts as well as other stories from around the HOPE world.
To help us continue our vital work we have launched a summer appeal alongside this newsletter – if you are fortunate enough, please donate what you can, every penny helps.
Thank you
For the financial year 2024/2025 Hope Against Cancer has once again committed to £200,000 funding for local cancer research
This is split into two main areas – employment of two wonderful nurses at the Hope Cancer Trials Centre, Edyta and Sharon, and research funding.
The research funding will be spent on the following:
> Support for an MD/PhD student whose research is focussed on the complex relationships between cancer and the immune system.
> Purchasing of vital, specialist equipment
> ‘Pump-Priming projects’
Pump-Priming projects enable researchers to collect pilot data that can be used to support future large-scale applications for external research funding. Such projects are vital but need local partners and funders such as HOPE to provide the money that get them off the ground.
The current projects are in the application stage. They will be considered by the Leicester Cancer Research Centre and ranked for their scientific merit.
Another of Hope Against Cancer’s roles in helping to facilitate cancer research in Leicestershire and Rutland is providing a local voice that supports funding proposals made by researchers to national and international funding bodies.
Dr Zainab Lal, a public health researcher with a background in dentistry and a passion for studying and understanding health inequalities, is one such researcher.
The project seeks to understand local knowledge levels, cultural perceptions of oral healthcare and cancer and the barriers and facilitators to accessing such care. This is being done through interviews and workshop groups.
Hope Against Cancer is proud to help further such research which benefits our local communities.
Julie Williams-Glover has been a long-term supporter, advocate and volunteer for Hope. She has shaken buckets, held raffles and walked the three hospitals of Leicester challenge (to name just a few).
This Spring, Julie and friends again walked between all three Leicester hospitals raising funds for HOPE.
Teigan Thompson from Uppingham works as a member of British Airways cabin crew and has been showcasing our flag all over the world!
Lee Taylor, Leicester Manager at Stuart’s Plumbing and Heating Supplies organised the design and supply of cycling kit for his close group of friends.
Stuart of Stuart’s Plumbing and Heating Supplies provided the funds and instead of repayment the pair were happy for everyone to donate to HOPE instead.
We are privileged to have some wonderful community support!
The indefatigable Vincent Brown was one of Hope’s very first fundraisers when he ran the London Marathon in 2004.
Twenty years later he has done it again!
Elaine Rook, a long-standing Hope volunteer from Oakham, held a coffee morning and ‘once loved’ handbag and scarf sale at her home on behalf of Hope. People travelled from across the county to attend and left with some absolutely beautiful items.
It was a great privilege to receive funds from the Linda Mary Clarke Memorial Award. The funding will be used to support Dr Esther Moss and the work to monitor the activity of womb cancer and predict responses.
The fund was established by Richard Clarke, a long-term HOPE supporter and volunteer, in memory of his sister Linda who passed away in 2019.
Toby Savage is another long-term Hope supporter. He is also an amazing photographer, world traveller and Land Rover enthusiast.
Toby has combined these into a beautiful book titled ‘Larking about in Land Rovers’ and is donating a percentage of the sales to HOPE. The book is available via Amazon or by contacting Toby at toby@tobysavage.co.uk
In 2023 HOPE was Rothley Park Golf Club’s charity of the year and they raised money for us through numerous events throughout the year.
Leicester Charnwood Lions Club recently held a ball where they presented HOPE with an astonishing contribution to local cancer research.
This is all part of the principal aim of the club: to serve the community they live in and support worthy causes locally, nationally and internationally.
Wes Britton from Creative Hire headed to the skies and jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane in support of HOPE!
Julie, Nic and John (the Holland siblings) competed in the Great North Swim.
This is a stunning open water adventure across Lake Windermere and was swum in the memory of their beloved brother, Richard. An incredible achievement.
As we mentioned in the welcome to this newsletter our summer charity golf day was an absolutely incredible event filled with sunshine, laughter and astonishing generosity!
Congratulations to all the winners of the golf, very well played!
Nevertheless, we all feel like winners after this one!
Thank you to our amazing volunteers and everyone who generously donated prizes to the auction and raffle. These donations really helped to raise our fundraising total.
FMB Cycles on Saffron Lane have two fundraising streams that support Hope Against Cancer.
Firstly, bikes which are donated are serviced and sold on with the profit going to HOPE.
And secondly, they have a free tyre pump-up service and each person using this service is encouraged to donate a pound”.
And Finally!
Not only are the staff at the Hope Cancer Trials Centre dedicated world-class researchers and healthcare professionals, they also fundraise on behalf of Hope Against Cancer!
They recently held a ‘grow your pound’ event where they raised money by doing sponsored swims and walks, holding multiple cake sales, a bric-a-brac sale, raffling goodies that were provided by local businesses and sponsors, a plant sale, a car boot sale… this list goes on and on!
The team at the Hope Centre are absolutely incredible!
An interview with Dorothy –HOPE’s longest serving volunteer
We recently sat down with HOPEs longest serving volunteer Dorothy Tomlinson to talk a little bit about her time with the charity.
Dorothy first heard about us when she attended Mrs Allison Wilson’s funeral in 2002 where Mrs Wilson’s brother George spoke of the planned new charity dedicated to local cancer research.
When her husband Ray passed, a collection was taken for HOPE.
In 2004 Dorothy decided to start volunteering with the charity. She began with us at 5 Castle View, a basic office that leaked when it rained.
As a seasoned administrator Dorothy was given the task of cataloguing the kindness and generosity of our supporters’ donations and continues to do so to this day.
When asked about her most significant moment with Hope, the simple answer was “there have been quite a few”! But what is more significant to Dorothy are the people.
The term she used was “camaraderie”. No matter who has come through our doors they have all been a part of the same cause and here to help.
Dorothy’s family have always been supportive of her weekly ‘Hope Day’, including her grandson William who began to fundraise himself by holding coffee mornings when he was just eight years old!
Dorothy continues to join us in the HOPE Office every week, twenty years after she began!
We are eternally grateful.
If you would like to read a more in-depth write up of this interview, including a poem Dorothy wrote for a retiring staff member, you can do so on our blog: www.hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/hope-blog
hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/hope-blog
From research to real world impact
The headline in the Spring 2019 edition of the Hope Against Cancer newsletter read ‘Chemotherapy-free treatment gives Hope to adult leukaemia patients’.
The article concerned a new treatment being trialled that involved researchers from the Hope Clinical Trials Facility, the predecessor to the Hope Cancer Trials Centre, and it was showing very promising remission rates for adults with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL).
In early 2024 the Hope Against Cancer office was contacted by Ian who had recently received this treatment for CLL, the trial has now become a mainstream treatment.
Ian wanted to both generously donate and to share his story.
Ian told us that, the diagnosis in 2019 was ‘a classic case’ according to the consultant. The CLL was not that advanced and in the case of this cancer there is no advantage to early treatment.
I was put on Watch and Wait status.
I soon learned that this is more realistically called Watch and Worry… I was also likely to be more prone to infection, and with COVID just around the corner, I became socially ultra cautious.
Treatment began in 2022 and the options were either take tablets for the rest of my life or a one-year treatment that would involve hospital visits. This new treatment was only possible thanks to research by centres such as the Hope Cancer Trials Centre.
Ian is now in remission.
Ian’s story is the essence of what Hope Against Cancer was set up to achieve.
If you would like to read a more in-depth version of this story, it is available on our blog www.hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/hope-blog
Hope Through Business Club
In April 2024, after a consideration of our offer to members, how we wanted to work in partnership with local business and our aspirations for growth, we relaunched the Hope Through Business Club.
It now costs just £200 per year to be a member and, following consultation and listening to our supporters, we offer networking opportunities, brand exposure across our communications channels, options for branding and sponsorship at our events, a close partnership with our team and support for your CSR objectives. We are also in the process of developing a member only area on the Hope website where members will be able to offer one another discount rates and benefit from new custom.
Twice a year we hold a Hope through Business Club lunch where members are offered discounted tickets. We begin these lunches with networking before presenting the impact that your contributions have locally with talks from research and patient perspectives. These lunches are inspiring events.
Our next Hope through Business lunch will be held at the Leicester Racecourse on 17th October and it is kindly sponsored by Marsh and Co Insurance Brokers.
As we said, members receive discounted tickets, but we are always happy to welcome guests and non-members who would like to network and discover more about Hope Against Cancer.
We would love it if you can join us.
To do so, please email Lucy at lucy@hopeagainstcancer.org.uk
Business Club Members
Thank you to the dedicated members of the Hope Business Club
In Memoriam
Mr James Ryland Wilson
Hope Against Cancer is extremely saddened by the passing of Mr James (Jim) Wilson in January this year.
Our charity was established in 2003 by Jim’s wife Mrs Allison Wilson CBE JP DL who recognised the need to bring cutting-edge research to our area and to make clinical trials available to local people.
When Allison herself sadly passed away from cancer, Jim and others fought long and hard to establish HOPE, with the vision of a future where more local people survived cancer.
Jim was formidable - a passionate supporter, key ally, former Chairman and Trustee of HOPE who contributed enormously to the charity’s achievements over many years.
We will always be grateful and humbled by his dedication and commitment to Hope Against Cancer.
Mr Douglas Smith
Hope Against Cancer is heavy-hearted by the passing of long-term supporter Douglas Smith.
Douglas was a Leicester-based artist and architect and the author of some beautiful books on architecture, design, painting and sketching. He donated all of the money from these books to the charity which amounted to tens of thousands over the years.
Douglas was an invited guest at the opening of the Hope Clinical Trials Unit, the predecessor to the Hope Cancer Trials Centre and he often turned up to Hope events to sell his books with his wife Shirley. He will be greatly missed and we will be forever thankful for his unwavering support.
Douglas’ books are still available, please contact barbara@hopeagainstcancer.org.uk
And a huge thank you to all of those who have donated to Hope Against Cancer in memory of loved ones:
Barry Chamberlain
Veronica Chilton
Margaret Christison
Martyn Howell
Pauline Locke
Peter Lloyd
Dave Manship
Betty Poole
Leaving a gift that lasts
Marion Della Porta
Linsey Staples
Henry Tharp
Jean Thornett
If you would like to organise a gift in your will, Hope Against Cancer have partnered with Bequeathed. Bequeathed work with charities and help individuals write a will that ensures your families and friends benefit exactly as you want. This is a free online service and any gifts to Hope will be gratefully received.
Martin Robinson recently started at Hope as is working alongside Tim Gorman-Powell and the rest of the team as our new Corporate and Community Partnerships Manager.
Martin told us:
“
Following a 25-year career in business development across the media, energy, events, and legal services sectors in Leicester, London, and Sydney, I sought a meaningful change and transitioned to t he charity sector. Having witnessed the devastating impact of cancer on my family and friends, working for a cancer charity was a choice close to my heart.
At HOPE, I am part of an exceptional team where each day brings new challenges and rewards, making my role diverse and fulfilling. I am passionate about using my sales experience to support the critical research and initiatives that Hope funds. ”
Diagnosed with breast cancer at just 24, Alice Greaves is the mastermind behind an extraordinary challenge to support Hope Against Cancer.
On 24th August, Alice and over 50 other riders are cycling the 125 miles from Leicestershire to Norfolk to raise money for life-saving cancer research.
The overall fundraising figure at time of writing has already topped an amazing £40,000!
This incredible figure is thanks to both generous rider sponsorship and support from local business who are sponsoring the event: 2XL Commercial Finance, William Hercock Builders Merchant, Nationwide Produce PLC, Inner Beauty, BoilerCert, R&G Automotive Ltd, The Cat & Wickets Pub Company Ltd, Two Counties Hog & Roast, Millward Consulting Engineers, UnderWraps, Evolve, Priory Commercials Ltd, House and Home Bespoke, David Greaves Landscape Design and Construction and Addo events.
hopeagainstcancer.org.uk/hope-events
Upcoming Events
If Alice Can, Anyone Can! Support Alice on 24th August.
Sunday1 SEPTEMBER Thursday 17 OCTOBER Saturday 24AUGUST
Big Half Marathon
We have over 25 runners set to take part in the Big Half marathon on 1st September. All of them are raising money for Hope Against Cancer. We would like to thank all the sponsors of the event and everyone involved for their effort and time.
Grow your Dough
Throughout October businesses and groups from across Leicestershire and Rutland are taking part in the ‘Grow Your Dough’ challenge to raise money for HOPE.
Each group begins with a small donation from each team member, they will then try and grow this money as much as possible through various fundraising activities!
Hope Business Club Lunch
On the 17th October we are inviting both Business Club members and other businesses from across Leicestershire and Rutland to our networking lunch at the Leicester Racecourse. This lunch is generously sponsored by Marsh and Co