J D Wetherspoon and Young Lives vs Cancer celebrate £21 million raised

National pub chain, J D Wetherspoon, have raised £21 million, for its chosen charity Young Lives vs Cancer, the UK’s leading cancer charity for children and young people and their families. 

Since the partnership began in 2002, staff and customers have organised and taken part in fundraising events such as quizzes, bake sales, sky-diving and mountain-climbing, to raise funds for the charity that provides practical, financial and emotional help to children and young people with cancer and their families.

Wetherspoon staff have also organised interpub fundraising team events, such as the KICK football competition, annual darts tournament, participated in the London marathon and most recently a cycle ride from London to Paris.

Both customers and staff have given support to these fundraising events and have donated generously to Young Lives vs Cancer year after year.

Young Lives vs Cancer’s Director of Income and Engagement, Luke Mallett, said: “When the partnership began with a chance meeting in 2002, the initial fundraising had a target of £500,000, yet, 20 years later, that total has reached an incredible £21 million.

“Wetherspoon’s staff and pub communities have amazed and inspired us year after year. From the bottom of our heart, we wish to thank each and every Wetherspoon’s colleague and all of their customers for their dedication, enthusiasm and support. Young Lives vs Cancer supports more than 7,000 children and young people with cancer and their families each year, and Wetherspoon’s customers, employees and local communities play a part in helping us to be there for them.”

Wetherspoon’s people director, Tom Ball, added: “We are extremely proud to have raised so much money for such a wonderful charity.”

Young Lives vs Cancer works with children and young people diagnosed with cancer and their families to help them find the strength to face everything that cancer has to throw at them. The money raised from this partnership has helped to fund financial grants to help families with the extra costs that cancer brings, funded families to use facilities in the charity’s Home from Home facilities whilst their child is undergoing treatment in a nearby hospital and introduced support groups for service users and their families.