National Garden Scheme & Macmillan Cancer Support celebrate 35 year partnership

Macmillan Cancer Support is today (23 July) celebrating the 35th anniversary of its partnership with the National Garden Scheme. The partnership is the charity’s longest running one and has so far raised £17.2m, funded 150 Macmillan nurses and helped to open care units in Bristol and Chesterfield as well as a new specialist palliative care unit in South Wales. The partnership started in 1984 when the National Garden Scheme invited Macmillan Cancer Support to be a beneficiary, raising £35,000 for it in the first year. Since then, milestones have included: 2004 The National Garden Scheme wins the Macmillan Champion Award for Groups and Associations – celebrating 20 years of supporting Macmillan. 2011 The National Garden Scheme supports Macmillan’s Move More initiative, encouraging people living with and beyond cancer to get active through gardening. 2014 The National Garden Scheme donates £500,000 to help fund the NGS Macmillan Wellbeing Centre at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. 2015 Macmillan and the National Garden Scheme celebrate over £15 million raised since the beginning of their partnership. 2017 The National Garden Scheme raises a record-breaking £3.1 million and begins an annual funding programme to support gardens and health-related projects. 2017 The NGS Macmillan Unit at Chesterfield Royal Hospital opens its doors to people living with cancer in North Derbyshire.  2018 Building begins for the Y Bwthyn NGS Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Unit in South Wales. 2018 The National Garden Scheme pledges £2.5 million to the build of the Y Bwthyn NGS Macmillan Specialist Palliative Care Unit. Lynda Thomas, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Our partnership with the National Garden Scheme has raised an astounding £17.2 million in the 35 years we’ve been working together, which enables us to be right there with people living with cancer from the moment they’re diagnosed. Since 1984, we’ve been bringing people together to enjoy the tranquillity of outdoor spaces with their loved ones, while raising money for a vital cause. We look forward to continuing our work together to support the growing number of people living with cancer.” Mary Berry, President of the National Garden Scheme, added: “As President of the National Garden Scheme I am enormously proud of the remarkable amounts of money that our garden openings have helped generate for nursing and health charities. I have always believed that gardens and garden visits can have positive health benefits and this partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support is the living embodiment of that.”

from UK Fundraising https://ift.tt/2Yk9o7M