Team members and guests at Duke of Wellington in Kenton have together raised £1674 for Macmillan Cancer Support throughout September and October.
The event was part of Greene King’s ‘Macmillan May’ initiative which was moved to September due to the Covid-19 pandemic which is a nationwide fundraiser that saw more than 1,700 of its pubs raise £1 million for the charity, £7,353 of which was raised from Greene King pubs across Newcastle.
The Duke of Wellington team members and guests have shown a monumental fundraising effort for the charity despite the global pandemic and restrictions in place. Events have ranged from a Newcastle United shirt raffle, name the teddy bear, 80s theme fancy dress and a 9hr exercise bike ride between the team, all of which adhered to our PUBSAFE promises designed to protect the welfare of team members as well as ensure that customers can socialise safely.
The money raised by The Duke of Wellington, which is part of Greene King pub company, will help fund vital Macmillan professionals. Macmillan helps people living with cancer with every aspect of their lives, from the moment they’re diagnosed, through to treatment and beyond. The initiative has helped towards plugging a huge gap in Macmillan’s fundraising due to Covid-19, the charity anticipates a loss of 35-50% of its fundraising revenue this year which it uses to deliver vital services to people living with cancer and to people working in the NHS.
The remarkable figure comes eight years into the partnership, with nearly £8 million raised since 2012. All the funds raised go towards helping Macmillan nurses and professionals provide vital physical, financial and emotional support for people living with cancer across the UK.
Mandy Cowell, general manager at The Duke of Wellington, said: “The team and our generous guests are right behind our charity partnership with Macmillan and I would like to thank everybody for helping us to raise so much money. The support from the local community was amazing and it means so much to know that we’ve helped such a worthy cause; particularly during these difficult times.”
Lynda Thomas, chief executive officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, added: “We’re absolutely astounded and thoroughly grateful to the wonderful team members and customers at The Duke of Wellington who have helped to raise this amazing amount, especially at this tough time.
“Right now we want to ensure that cancer doesn’t become the forgotten ‘C’ of the pandemic. Adequate funding for charities and public support through donations and volunteering is more vital than ever, which is why we’re so grateful for the continued generosity of partners like Greene King, as it allows us to be right there for the growing numbers of people living with cancer across the UK when they need us most.”
