Updating you on our shopsUpdating you on our shops
Thank you for your ongoing support
Read on for the latest news on shop re-openings across the nations, exciting news for bowel cancer research and some Christmas cheer.
A message from Julie Byard, Director of Trading
'As restrictions tighten for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland, we’re really pleased that our shops in Wales remain open, and our shops across England will open again soon. We’ll be following government guidelines and your shop manager will get in touch when your shop is able to reopen. Keeping shops safe for our volunteers, staff and customers is our priority and we'll continue to do our bit to keep you safe. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we make plans.
The festive period is a valuable opportunity for our shops to raise life-saving funds and I thank you for shopping with us online and encouraging friends and family to do the same. We hope the increase we’ve seen in online sales continues, helping us to make up some of the shortfall from high street closures.
Cancer Research UK is, and will stay, at the forefront of the global fight against cancer. We fund nearly half of all publicly funded cancer research here in the UK. So whichever country you volunteer in, you enable vital research like the recent breakthrough for bowel cancer treatment that you can read about below. Thank you for your support.'
Bowel cancer breakthrough
A new chemotherapy-free drug combination for people with a rare type of bowel cancer has been approved for NHS use in England. This new drug combination is thanks to 20 years of hard work from Cancer Research UK scientists.
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with around 42,300 new cases in the UK each year.
NICE approval decisions are usually adopted in Wales and Northern Ireland as well as England, so the drug combination should now be available to patients in all three nations.
Podcaster and Cancer Research UK supporter Deborah James was diagnosed with advanced (stage 4) bowel cancer in 2016. She’s been taking the targeted combination treatment for the past 16 months:
“These drugs have transformed my disease. I’m fully aware that they won’t cure me, but I’m coming up to 4 years post-diagnosis with metastatic bowel cancer and the fact that I’m in that position is thanks to the drugs I’m taking.”
An Evening of Christmas Music
On 3 December at 7pm, Cancer Research UK are hosting a wonderful evening of science, celebration and song. The virtual event will highlight the importance of Gifts in Wills to our research and bring you music from the vibrant Crystal Gospel Choir and former Radio 3 Choir of the Year, Chantage.
We’ll be together even if we must be apart.
"I love arriving for a shift"
“I didn’t know I was going to end up in a charity shop when I went out on my bike that day. I just walked in and asked if they needed more volunteers, they signed me up and I had a trial day two days later. It’s the best thing I’ve done for a long time.”
After finding she had some free time on her hands this summer, Margaret wanted to put it to good use. “I’d thought about volunteering in a shop for a long time, but I never thought I could make the commitment. I was so wrong."
“Everyone who volunteers in the shop puts in so much effort and it’s great to know I’m making their day a little easier by dedicating my time. It’s a really friendly and supportive environment, which I think many of us need at the moment. I’ve also learnt so much about retail and about the brilliant work Cancer Research UK does.”
Margaret has since returned to her job in project management, but continues to volunteer at the shop one day a week. “I like being an ambassador for Cancer Research UK and I’ll tell anyone that will listen how fun and cool volunteering is. I love arriving for a shift!’’
Volunteers like Margaret are keeping us running during the pandemic. We're so grateful for everyone who gives their time to support our shops.
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