Sintons raise over £27,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support

Law firm Sintons has raised over £27,000 during a year of fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support, its charity of the year for 2014.

The incredible total was raised through staff organising and taking part in a host of events and challenges, including as activities as varied as taking part in the Virgin Money Cyclone and the Great North Run, hosting a five-a-side football tournament, to Christmas Carol singing in Eldon Square.

The donation to Macmillan has played a central role in helping to launch the pioneering Care Closer to Home project a partnership between Macmillan and the Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust which allows cancer patients to receive treatment closer to their homes. The first site of its kind was opened at Benfield Park Medical Group, in Walkergate, Newcastle, in September.

Macmillan was chosen as Sintons’ charity of 2014 in memory of Andrew Walker, a much loved and highly respected partner at Sintons who passed away in 2013 aged only 54, after a short battle with cancer. Macmillan has also given vital support to many other people at Sintons, as well as to their families.

Alan Dawson, Chairman of Sintons, said: “Macmillan is an incredible charity which we are so pleased to have been able to support. Every single person here at Sintons has been involved in fundraising in some way, which is testament to how Macmillan touches the lives of so many people, either directly or indirectly. The fact our donation has been able to help launch such a life-changing initiative as Care Closer to Home is a true delight.”

Andy Welch, medical director of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said of the launch of the Care Closer to Home project: “We are pleased to work in partnership with Macmillan to pioneer this project, and are grateful to Sintons for their wonderful commitment and very generous donation to help Care Closer to Home become a reality.”

Erin Fairley, Fundraising Manager for Macmillan, said: “Working in partnership with Sintons in 2014 has been such a pleasure.  Everyone within the company has really been behind the partnership and we are absolutely thrilled to have raised so much money to help local people affected by cancer.

“The money raised by Sintons has enabled Macmillan to launch Care Closer to Home, which will see cancer patients being able to have their treatment in a community setting rather than going to hospital, where this is appropriate.  We launched our first site at Benfield Park Medical Group back in September, and the team at Sintons have been an integral part of raising funds towards this, but also raising vital awareness of the services Macmillan offer.

“I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank them once again for helping us to make sure no one in this area faces cancer alone, we simply cannot achieve this without this kind of support.”