The board came together to increase awareness in the local business community of Cancer Research UK’s work in Northern Ireland and to encourage businesses across the city to work together to support the charity through a range of fundraising activities.
The fundraising board is one of a growing network involving business leaders across the UK and is the first in Northern Ireland. A similar gala event held recently by Business Beats Cancer in Edinburgh raised over £70,000 for the charity and the Belfast board is hoping it can also make a significant impact.
MC at the Belfast event will be broadcaster Thomas Niblock who will carry out interviews with survivors and scientists, putting human stories at the heart of the event.
Chair of the board Mark Rooney who works in Wealth Management for Barclays, said: “We’re a group of like-minded businesspeople who want to use our business connections to make a difference to those living with cancer.
“Several of us have experienced cancer within our own families which is unsurprising considering that one in two people will be diagnosed with this dreadful disease in their lifetime.
“Thanks to research, cancer survival is at an all-time high and we are committed to raising funds for the life-saving and cutting-edge science that Cancer Research UK is doing.
“This year we’ve already managed to raise £15,000 through fundraising activities including a successful drive to encourage local businesses to hold coffee mornings on World Cancer Day. We hope our black-tie event, which is a fantastic opportunity for organisations to show their support for Cancer Research UK, will become an unmissable annual date in the local business calendar.”
Adele Harris, fundraising manager for Cancer Research UK in Northern Ireland, said: “One in two people now survive their cancer for 10 years or more in the UK but there is still so much more to be done.
“Our ambition at Cancer Research UK is to accelerate progress in cancer research and see three in four people survive the next 20 years but we need huge support to make this happen.
“Our corporate relationships are hugely important to us and the commitment that this board has made to raise money for life-saving research is wonderful. Every penny raised through Business Beats Cancer will fund Cancer Research UK’s work here in Northern Ireland. We look forward to a great event.”
Others on the Board include Orla McGreevy of 4C Executive; Nicola Ledlie, area manager, Regus; Gemma Payne, corporate manager First Trust and Jayne Gallagher, managing director of Legal Island.
They are also joined by Fergal Maguire, partner at TLT, communications consultant Julie Sherlock and Gary Davidson, entrepreneur engagement manager for Tech Nation.
Head of Citi in Northern Ireland, Leigh Meyer, who is board ambassador for Business Beats Cancer Belfast, said:
He said: “We are reminded on a daily basis of the devastating and life changing impact that cancer has on our families, our community and the world in general.
“We live with this reality but we also live in hope: Cancer Research UK and the work it does illuminates our world with this hope.
“As business leaders with a responsibility to our staff and our community we are motivated to galvanise our collective talents and resources to support and build long term solutions to overcome the impact this terrible disease bestows upon each of us, without exception or discrimination of any sort.”
Tickets for the event on June 14 at Titanic Hotel are priced at £100 or £950 for a table of 10 and can be purchased at https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/get-involved/find-an-event/business-beats-cancer-belfast
Launching Business Beats Cancer’s Belfast gala ball in aid of Cancer Research UK are Mark Rooney, chair of the board, with board member Orla McGreevy, Thomas Niblock who will be MC at the event at Titanic Hotel on June 14, and Adele Harris, fundraising manager of Cancer Research UK.
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