A marathon baking session by Great British Bake-Off champ Rahul Mandal has helped the South Yorkshire-based Nuclear AMRC to raise more than £25,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2023.
The centre committed to the £25,000 target in February 2023, with serious fundraising only beginning in the spring.
Nuclear AMRC staff took on a string of individual and team challenges throughout the year, culminating in a festive baking contest with colleagues from across the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network.
Along with an individual challenge by business development manager Neil Murray to squat-lift more than 50 tonnes through December, the bake-off brought the total raised (including Gift Aid) to £25,051.
That total can pay for a Macmillan nurse for 735 hours (equivalent to 21 weeks) to help people living with cancer and their families to receive essential medical, practical and emotional support.
Michaela Ryder, senior fundraising manager for Macmillan in Yorkshire, said: “We were absolutely blown away by the support, passion and commitment shown by the whole Nuclear AMRC team last year.
“To say this is the first year Nuclear AMRC have partnered with a charity in this way is just astounding, and to have raised such a huge amount in such a short space of time is a real testament to all the staff involved. Everyone has really got behind the partnership, and we have loved seeing the different fundraising ideas and challenges been taken on by staff to smash their target.
“The money raised will make such a huge difference, so on behalf of everyone at Macmillan and all those people affected by cancer who will be supported by their fundraising, I want to say a huge thank you. It has been a pleasure to work with the team, and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together in 2024.”
Other challenges completed by staff include a marathon baking session by research associate and celebrity baker Dr Rahul Mandal for a staff coffee morning; a 40-mile hike through Cumbria for members of the executive team; and a host of sporting endeavours including bike rides, skydiving, press-ups and 10km runs.
Delegates at the Nuclear Manufacturing Summit, hosted by the Nuclear AMRC in October, gave more than £9,200 in donations and a silent auction.
Fundraising will continue through 2024, with CEO Andrew Storer and business support analyst Isobel Storer preparing for the London Marathon to support Macmillan.
Mr Storer said: “Through close and personal interaction with the sort of care that MacMillan provide, I wanted to try and raise much-needed money. When discussing with the team, we realised how lucky we all are and, with a little bit of effort, that we could try and do our bit. Then we set a target, which we had no idea how to achieve.
“Apart from the money raised and a lot of fun along the way, it really brought the different parts of the Nuclear AMRC and the Catapult together. Its great that we can put in context what £25,000 will do for Macmillan – that is what has spurred us on to continue our fundraising in 2024.
“Thank you to all those that helped to make this happen – those people that challenged themselves to raise money, and those across the nuclear sector who showed their generosity.”
