Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie named charity partners of Swimathon
Press release published
Following Swimathon’s recent 30th anniversary which has so far raised over £1.5 million, The Swimathon Foundation, the charity behind both events, is delighted to announce that Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie will be the official charity partners of Swimathon for the next four years.
In its 30 year history, Swimathon has raised over £46million for charitable causes and this partnership with two of the UK’s biggest and most loved charities will look to grow this figure even further in the coming years.
Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research, will be involved in Swimathon for the first time.
Marie Curie, the UK’s leading charity for people with any terminal illness and their families, has been a charity partner of Swimathon 10 times since it launched in 1986 and has raised over £12m for the charity through the event during that time.
Cancer Research UK Head of Events, Clive Sanders said: “We’re incredibly excited to be one of the charity partners for Swimathon. The events are fantastic and offer our supporters a fun and unique way to fundraise for our life saving research. Cancer Research UK’s work has fuelled the progress that has seen cancer survival rates double in the last forty years. Today, two in four people survive cancer. Our ambition is to accelerate progress so that three in four people survive cancer by 2034 and this partnership will make a very welcome contribution to that aim.”
Marie Curie’s Head of Community Fundraising, Mark Winton, said: “It is fantastic to be able to announce that this year’s event has so far raised £1.5 million which will help the charity to provide care and support to more people living with a terminal illness, and their families, at the time when they need it most. Everyone at Marie Curie is delighted that we will be a part of Swimathon for the next four years alongside Cancer Research UK.”
The Swimathon Foundation Chair, Anthony Kendall, said: "We are delighted to be able to continue our long standing relationship with Marie Curie, and to welcome Cancer Research UK to the Swimathon family. We as a Foundation look forward to continuing to make a real difference to charitable causes across the UK."
Swimathon 2018 will take place over the weekend of 27 - 29 April 2018. Full details about Swimathon can be found at; www.Swimathon.org
Notes to editor
About Marie Curie
Please note – we are now called ‘Marie Curie’ (not Marie Curie Cancer Care)
Marie Curie – care and support through terminal illness
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading charity for people with any terminal illness. The charity helps people living with a terminal illness and their families make the most of the time they have together by delivering expert hands-on care, emotional support, research and guidance.
Marie Curie employs more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, and with its nine hospices around the UK, is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS.
If you have questions about terminal illness, need support or just want to talk, call the Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309. It’s for anyone affected by terminal illness, including family and friends.
For more information visit www.mariecurie.org.uk
Like us at www.facebook.com/mariecurieuk
Follow us on www.twitter.com/mariecurieuk
About Swimathon
- Swimathon is the world's biggest fundraising swim
- The event incorporates the 5k, 2.5k, 1.5k and Team 5k/1.5k challenges
- Swimathon started in 1986 and since then more than half a million swimmers have taken part, raising over £46 millionfor charity
- Swimathon has raised funds for a variety of nominated charities, including Comic Relief, Macmillan Cancer Support, NSPCC, The British Heart Foundation, The Prince’s Trust and, most recently, Marie Curie and The Swimathon Foundation
www.facebook.com/SwimathonChallenge
About the Swimathon Foundation
- The Swimathon Foundation, a company limited by guarantee, is the independent registered charity, which owns the annual national Swimathon event (charity number 1123870).
- The Swimathon Foundation was formed in 2001 to guarantee the long-term future of the Swimathon event.
- The Swimathon Foundation is the legal rights owner of the Swimathon event and as such is responsible for not only the staging of the Swimathon but also the management and distribution of the funds raised by the event's participants.
- The Swimathon Foundation Trustees select the Swimathon's principal charity partner, which receives the majority of the fundraising income, as well as awarding grants to local organisations whose projects help promote swimming in their communities
- The Swimathon Foundation provides grants of between £300 and £2,500 to organisations including swimming pools, operators, clubs, community organisations and charities that can demonstrate how funding will allow them to help more people participate in and enjoy swimming and to make swimming more accessible.
- For further information visit the Swimathon Foundation website at: www.swimathonfoundation.org. This website provides information about how to apply for a grant.
About Cancer Research UK
- Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
- Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
- Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every donation made.
- Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years.
- Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
- Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.