A RETAIL park has selected a cancer charity as the cause it will support next year.

Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park shortlisted four charities to support in 2009, with Cancer Research UK eventually selected.

The site’s owner, Emerson, and more than 50 retail and leisure outlets will be backing the campaign to raise money and awareness.

Heather Ingham, Marketing and PR Manager at Middlebrook, said: “Every year it gets harder to choose which charity we are going to support for the next 12 months.

“This year was no exception, as there are some very worthwhile campaigns out there in need of support.

“We chose to support Cancer Research UK because it resonates with a large proportion of our local community. The charity also hosts local events which we will be able to contribute to, such as the Relay4Life in July.”

The partnership with Cancer Research UK will be launched on Saturday, with volunteers taking part in the annual Christmas Gift Wrap, near Vue Cinema. All the proceeds from the event will go to the charity.

This year, Middlebrook and its retailers helped to raise more than £4,000 for the British Heart Foundation.