Roadchef and Cancer Research UK - Together we are beating cancer one mile at a time. Join us on the road, againRoadchef and Cancer Research UK - Together we are beating cancer one mile at a time. Join us on the road, again
Dear team Roadchef,
My name is Sophie, I am a Relationship manager for Cancer Research UK based in Wales and have been lucky to support the Roadchef partnership for 3 years. I feel privileged to support amazing partners like Roadchef and I am thrilled that you have hit your £5m milestone! Such a wonderful achievement, thank you.
I know first hand the impact that a cancer diagnosis can have. In 2017 I received a primary breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 31 years old. I had surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, all of these treatments CRUK have helped develop and as a result I was cancer-free for just over 5 years.
Unfortunately for me, in March 2023 I was given the devastating news that my cancer has returned and given that the cancer has now spread, it was diagnosed as stage 4, incurable disease.
We've helped develop half the world’s essential cancer drugs and we’re working hard to make treatments kinder and more effective for everyone, so that more people get more moments with the people they love.
Although my options are more limited this time round, there are some treatments available for me to help control the disease and that is thanks to the amazing research being funded by CRUK. Without research, many people like me would not have these options so I am incredibly grateful for all that CRUK does to allow me to make more memories with my husband and two children.
Your vote to remain with Cancer Research UK as Roadchef’s charity partner would help us fund more research, develop new and kinder treatments, make new discoveries and ensure that more people live longer better lives free from the fear of cancer.
Thank you.
Six-years strong
Throughout our six-year partnership, Roadchef has continuously championed our vision to create a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.
Today, Roadchef’s motivation to fundraise, deliver our health awareness messaging and encourage engagement from staff and customers is as strong as ever. It has been wonderful to see Roadchef employees take part in multiple fundraising events from golf days to running the London Marathon to Roadchef’s Walkathon.
Whether you have supported us as an individual or as part of your team, your support has helped save lives.
We are grateful for the free of charge access given to CRUK public facing fundraising teams which enables us to sign up committed givers which significantly boosts income to CRUK.
We’re delighted that in December 2023 Roadchef hit your magical milestone of £5m raised in support of our work. This is an incredible achievement and something you should all feel incredibly proud of.
Every step we take towards beating cancer is thanks to incredible supporters and partners like Roadchef. Without your continued support we would not be able to carry out the work we do to beat cancer together.
Why vote for Cancer Research UK?
Right now, our researchers up and down the country are discovering new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer.
Our research is already saving lives.
- Thanks to our research, we’ve avoided over a million cancer deaths since 1980.
- We’ve helped double breast cancer survival in the UK.
- We’ve helped to prove the link between tobacco and cancer, preventing millions of deaths worldwide.
- Our research led to the development of the HPV vaccine, which is expected to prevent almost 90% of cervical cancers in the UK
But we need to do more.
Our scientists are relentless, but cancer is complex.
We need your help to raise vital funds to support our next life-saving discovery and give us all more moments with the people we love.
With you by our side, just think of how much more we could achieve.
*Ahmad A.S. et al. British Journal of Cancer, 2015
We are beating cancer in your local community
With the support of people like you voting for us again, as your charity partner, we will continue to beat cancer in each of your regions as well as within the communities surrounding each of your sites.
South East – our work near Rownhams
Around 53,000 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the South East. Cancer Research UK spent over £25m on funding our pioneering work.
Basingstoke is in the middle of two of the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres that we co-fund in Oxford and Southampton, as well as a Clinical Trials Unit. The aim of these centres is to get new treatments to patients more quickly.
Right now in the South East, we’re researching how cells repair their DNA, testing new treatment options for people with bladder cancer and researching new ways to treat myeloma – the most aggressive form of skin cancer
South West – our work near Sedgemoor
Around 36,800 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the South West. Cancer Research UK spent over nearly £4m on funding our pioneering work.
The South West is home to a paediatric Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) in Bristol. Our ECMCs, which we co-fund with the National Institute for Health Research in England, bring together lab scientists and cancer doctors to speed up the flow of ideas and new treatments for cancer from the lab to the clinic.
Right now in the South West, we’re working to improve treatment for blood cancers. At the University of Plymouth, Dr David Lewis is leading a clinical trial comparing 2 treatments to see which treatment keeps the lymphoma under control the longest.
West Midlands - our work near Norton Canes
Around 33,800 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the West Midlands. In 2022/2023 Cancer Research UK spent nearly £9m on funding our pioneering work.
Right now in the West Midlands, we’re working to find new ways to target cancer.
Dr Eva Petermann is investigating the mechanisms behind how cancer genes manipulate the replication process. By understanding the underlying biology, she hopes to identify new ways of targeting cancer, which could lead to the development of new treatments.
North East – our research near your Newcastle Contact Centre
Around 17,400 people are diagnosed with cancer each year in the North East and in 2022/2023 Cancer Research UK spent over £4m on funding our pioneering work.
Our Newcastle Centre delivers world-leading research to help more people affected by cancer.
Newcastle is also home to our Drug Discovery Unit, turning today’s science into tomorrow’s medicine, as well as our co-funded Adult and Paediatric Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres.
How your money will drive research
If each employee at Roadchef could raise £50 in a year (that’s just under £1 per week), together you could raise a whopping £175,000.
That’s enough to fund Professor Nick James and their team, who are leading the STAMPEDE trial, looking at new combinations of treatments for advanced prostate cancer for 1 year.
Your further support provided by permitting our face to face fundraisers to be across your sites means that together we truly are beating cancer.
Check out what your donations could buy for research, powering discoveries to help us all live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.
How we can continue to raise money together
Charity champions are the driving force behind the partnership and we would love for you to join us on the next stage of our journey. Could you be part of the team driving this special partnership? Representing your team and your region, shaping and steering fundraising activities for your colleagues?
Our dedicated team will continue to work with yours to create a year-round calendar of fundraising and other events to raise awareness about different types of cancer and things you can do to help prevent them. Whatever your interests, we have something for everyone and so many different ways for you to get involved.
How many miles can you clock up?
We can help you organise team fundraising challenges and competitions between you and your colleagues across the UK. Could you have a little inter-region competition? Or how about Individual sites working together to collectively complete 100km, walking, running or cycling? Think Walkathon but on wheels.
Get involved in your local Race for Life.
You and your loved ones can join one of our 450 Race for Life events across the country. Walk or run 3k, 5k, 10k individually or as a team, or crawl, climb and hop your way through our Pretty Muddy Obstacle Course. We’ll even throw in a 30% discount off your registration fee!
Shine bright and raise funds for us along the way.
Shine Night Walk is your chance to light up your city's streets. Walk for loved ones. Walk for future generations. Walk with friends old and new to raise vital funds for life-saving research. We’ve once again, thrown in a 30% discount off your registration fee.
Running with Team CRUK
We can give your keenest runners places for the London, Brighton and Manchester marathons, so they can join Team CRUK in outpacing cancer. Once they're on board, they’ll get personalised support with training and fundraising.
Set up donation stations.
A tried and tested favourite across your sites. We can help you set up donation stations at each of your sites, where you can donate your pre-loved items. This can then be sold in our network of over 600 shops and superstores, destined to be a loved by a new owner. In 2022 alone, we diverted around 25,000 tonnes of pre-loved clothes to new owners – a saving of 250 billion litres of water compared to buying the same volume brand new. Throughout 2022 and 2023 Roadchef teams donated 801 bags of pre-loved items with an onward value to Cancer Research UK of over £18,000.
Cancer Awareness in the Workplace
As one of our valued partners, you will also have the opportunity to take part in our Cancer Awareness in the Workplace Programme.
Around 4 in 10 cancers can be prevented, and treatment is more likely to be successful when cancer is spotted early.
Our programme will help you understand the ways you can reduce your risk of cancer, how to spot it early and empower you to take positive action for your health.
In a recent survey to employees who have completed the programme:
97% said they would recommend it to a colleague
92% had a better understanding of the ways they can improve their health
Cancer is one of the biggest health challenges of our time.
But together, we’re beating it. Step by step. Day by day.
Every step forward, made by every one of us, is significant. And everyone can play their part, big or small, to make progress possible. Like Alex and her family:
I was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. I now take tamoxifen to stop my cancer from coming back which Cancer Research UK played a key role in developing. This life-saving work is only possible with funding from their amazing supporters and partners, like you.
We do this so that more people get more special moments with the people they love