Cancer charity axes Greater Manchester event - because it only raised £600,000

2:17pm Tuesday 8th January 2013 in News

A cancer charity has axed a fundraising walk even though last year's event raised £600,000.

Dozens of people from Bolton took part in the night-time marathon Shine which took place at Old Trafford to raise cash for Cancer Research UK.

Among them was five-year-old brave cancer battler Kiera Bannister, of Albany Fold, Westhoughton, who was chosen to kick off the publicity for the event. The Gates Primary School pupil was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumour.

But the sum of money made was dwarfed by the £2.6 million generated by an identical event in London, leading organisers to switch their attention south.

An announcement on the Cancer Research UK website said the Manchester events had raised £3 million over the past three years but that it had reviewed Shine "with a view to agreeing the best format for the coming years."

"As a result," the statement continued, "we have taken the tough decision to retire our Shine event in Manchester.

"We realise this may be disappointing to people in Manchester who have supported Shine for the last three years. Shine is our newest mass participation event and we owe it to our supporters to raise money in the most cost effective way possible so that we ensure we focus on providing the maximum amount of funds towards our vital life saving research.

"This is why, for 2013, we will be consolidating our effort into one big event in London, which we hope will attract people from all over the UK, including Manchester. We hope our supporters in Manchester and the North West will understand why we have taken this decision."

The move has been criticised, with some suggesting people support local charities instead.

Bolton News reader Jean Rostron wrote on Facebook: "Sorry - people from the area will not travel to London. It would cost too much. Think you will find people feel they shouldnt support the charity now. It's an insult."

Comments(20)

Marzi30 says...
2:59pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Well for them can turn their nose up at a paltry £600,000, I call it greed

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piszoff says...
4:10pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Never mind far better local causes to give to.

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Undetectableman says...
4:13pm Tue 8 Jan 13

This just does not make sense so they are writing off £600,000 whichever way you look at it so the total income could be 3.2 million rather than just 2.6 possibly they have the same accounting system as the one that seems to be in use at the Royal Bolton Hospital!!!!!

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Undetectableman says...
4:14pm Tue 8 Jan 13

piszoff wrote:
Never mind far better local causes to give to.
Well said our local Hospice for one you will probably find that more of the money is put to better use there too rather than being gobbled up in "admin" and other fees.

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Lanchester says...
5:20pm Tue 8 Jan 13

To those who would have supported 'Shine', please consider giving your support to the Midnight Memories Walk for Bolton Hospice in June, I'm pretty sure they could put £600,000 to very good use.

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Marzi30 says...
5:36pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Well said Lanchester, shame the Bolton News couldn't have suggested this

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BoltonBazz says...
6:04pm Tue 8 Jan 13

it just goes to show how much of the money is for reaserch and how much is for the "administration" . If they dont want it there are local causes that do

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BoltonBazz says...
6:05pm Tue 8 Jan 13

it just goes to show how much of the money is for reaserch and how much is for the "administration" . If they dont want it there are local causes that do

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wsw69 says...
6:38pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Absolutely disgraceful. A 'paltry' £600,000 just thrown away like that. This shows corporate greed at it's worst, not to mention throwing it all back in the face of local people.

Cancer Research UK, you really are pathetic, greedy and have show your true colours. Greed, greed and more greed

I hope someone from Cancer Research UK is, or does, get to read this, as with immediate effect I shall be ceasing my £200 a month donation and IT WILL NOT be being reinstated. Instead, I shall donate that money to the North West Air Ambulance charity who have always welcomed every penny raised.

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steveG says...
8:23pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Anyone who has observed the large charities knows their main concern is not the people they purport to raise money for but the large earners who work for them.
Any one who doubts this only needs to look at the percentage of their revenue which goes to the people or cause they shamefully exploit.
Remember next time you give to these large organisations, to reflect on the reason you give - is it to make you feel better about yourself and perhaps ease your guilt?.

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swager123 says...
8:23pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Marzi30 wrote:
Well said Lanchester, shame the Bolton News couldn't have suggested this
Cause the Bolton news is a discrace of a newspaper!!!

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clairc74 says...
8:26pm Tue 8 Jan 13

I find this article disgusting.the amount of times I get phone calls and emails to donate just £3 a month to help find a cure for cancer.but £600.000 isn't any good .how do they have the nerve.there are lots of people that give there time to these events.raising little or lots of money for cures.so they need to appreciate all donations small or large.

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Rememberscarborough says...
9:00pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Okay, here's the logic behind this. If the same people using the same time can generate 4x the funds by holding another event down south then surely those suffering nationally would agree to the switch for a NATIONAL charity.

Personally, I doubt London has enough money to double it's contribution and I hope the Bolton Hospice benefits from the move.

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fitz108 says...
9:25pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Bolton hospice is greatfull for every penny donated, please get behind them for this years midnight walk, it will help the people of bolton to be cared for in a homely and dignified way.

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trish1975 says...
9:32pm Tue 8 Jan 13

well if £600,000 is not good enough for Cancer research UK then stuff them, iam sure that as Lanchester said Midnight Memories walk for bolton would more than appreciate the money after all every penny helps.

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rostron says...
1:04am Wed 9 Jan 13

This is an insult to the people in the North West,who have tirelessly raised money for cancer. They dont have the funds to go to London, pay for hotels, etc.
No doubt its a Southerner who decided this, sat in Ivory tower overlooking Canary Wharf no doubt.Well, any money I might have is going to Bolton hospice from now on, & it is with regret I say this, as I am an ex cancer patient.
I will say, when I approached Macmillan people in London, 9yrs since,for help,I was given a bums rush, & left to cope myself.Recently a bad attitude to my friend, terminally ill, by a cancer nurse has also left a bad taste in my mouth.

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oftbewildered2 says...
8:05am Wed 9 Jan 13

Let's support our own - and the rest can go rot

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BigJohnnyB says...
3:23pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I'm never one to defend the massive charities but I did read recently that Cancer Research have spent something like £80m in Manchester over the last 5 years on research. They might be national but they obviously do a lot up here.

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Alice Atkinson says...
10:57am Fri 11 Jan 13

As the Fundraising Manager at Bolton Hospice I’d like to say that we would be delighted for anyone disappointed at the cancellation of Shine to join us for our 8 mile Midnight Memories Walk on Saturday 15th June in Bolton. Our walk raised £135,000 for local people facing life limiting illnesses last year and we are truly grateful for every penny raised by our wonderful walkers. We need to raise £2.5 million a year to keep providing our services so if you are able to help us by joining the walk please email us at fundraising@boltonho
spice.org to be the first to hear when registration opens and get the early bird discounted registration fee!

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judyben says...
1:01pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Have to agree with the posts above. Hope people will help Bolton Hospice.I have heard from friends how supportive they are in times of need.

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