Action Committee Newsletter
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March 2025 Newsletter
Welcome to your March Community E-news
Welcome to our first community e-news letter of 2025! We hope to find you well and we are looking forward to another year of raising vital funds and celebrating the wonderful fundraising achievements within our Action community.
Our feature story this quarter is Elsie, pictured above. Elsie was born extremely prematurely at 23 weeks and 5 days and weighed just 600 grams. She spent 211 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and against all odds, Elsie survived. She faced numerous hurdles including chronic lung disease, ventricular hypertrophy, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and required surgery for a perforated stomach.
Elsie's mother, Debi, was classified as having a high risk pregnancy due to her family's history. Action Medical Research is funding a team at University Collage London who are developing innovative antimicrobial therapy that aims to boost the body's natural defences against infection. If successful, this may help prevent preterm labour in women at high risk of giving birth too soon - improving survival and quality of life for their babies. Read more about this work here.
Read more on Elsie's story here, which will also feature in the new issue of Touching Lives in April.
Sticky mittens to help very premature babies
Action-funded research has shown how a simple play intervention, using sticky mittens with babies born prematurely, can boost their learning and cognitive development.
Babies born very prematurely, before 32 weeks of pregnancy, are at high risk of experiencing learning difficulties as they grow up. Previous research had shown that full-term babies benefit from play using Velcro-covered mittens, used with Velcro-covered toys so they can grab them simply by swiping at them. But the effects on very premature infants were unknown.
Dr Ruth Ford and her team led a study to test this and have found that this activity does indeed help premature babies. This could now influence UK policy on post-discharge care for very premature infants by promoting this simple, home-based intervention, which can be carried out by parents or carers to support their child’s development. Read more.
Committee Fundraising Zoom Drop-in
Our regional meeting is this week and if you are able to attend, we look forward to seeing you there!
As usual, our quarterly committee zoom drop-in will take place. Please join us in sharing ideas and plans, and if you have any questions please do let us know.
Date: Wednesday 7th May
Time: 12:00 - 1:00pm
Meeting ID: 859 8671 1401
Password: 864179
Committee and Fundraising news
We have made a wonderful start this year with some lovely fundraising taking place. We love to hear about events you are planning and how your activities are going - please do let us know, we love to share them here.
Claire Harrison's mother, Mrs Harrison, has knitted many Easter-egg chicken cosies and filled them with chocolate eggs to sell for Action.
Haslemere Committee kindly donated £60, raised through the community's local hearing clinic. We thank Haslemere for their dedicated support throughout the year.
Dumfriesshire Committee raised a fantastic £75 from a local bridge event. At Action, we are extremely grateful for the ongoing support.
Earlier this year, the Woodstock Committee raised a brilliant £623 at their annual bingo event. It is great to still see the success of the local bingo nights in Woodstock.
St Oswald's Church in Askrigg, North Yorkshire, held a recent coffee morning raising £311. Your support is very appreciated.
Kate Elliot of the Orkney Committee regularly collects funds for Action in supermarkets around the northern isles (once even becoming stranded due to stormy weather!). Her recent collection in Thurso raised over £300.
On behalf of everyone at Action, we would like to wish all those committees who are taking part in this year's annual Cream Tea event. The annual Cream Teas have been nothing short of a success every year and here at Action, we are extremely grateful for your participation in it each year. Over the last five years, Cream Teas has brought in over £8,000 for Action, helping us to fund much-needed life-saving research.
If you are thinking of a Cream Tea event this year, have a look here.
Aberdeen Ladies Lunch
Our wonderful committee in Aberdeen put on another fabulous event at The Marcliffe Hotel. The lunch has been running for over thirty years and has maintained its popularity, with an atmosphere like a meeting of old friends, filled with laughter, stories and delicious food.
This year’s guest speaker was Paralympian Jody Cundy CBE, pictured above showing guests two of his many gold medals! The most recent was won in the mixed team sprint at last summer’s Paralympic Games in Paris (which is the one he’s holding).
Jody, who has supported Action for many years and is a regular at our Champions of CycleSport Dinner, enthralled guests with motivational stories about his journeys to achieve multiple Paralympic and World Championship gold medals in both cycling and swimming.
We are very grateful to the dedication of our wonderful committee and the continued generosity of our guests.
Your community contacts
A reminder please send all cheques to this address:
Action Medical Research
c/o StarVale Management & Technologies Ltd
The Tannery, Chapel Lane
Galgate, Lancaster
Lancashire, LA2 0PR
And all other remaining correspondence to:
Action Medical Research
5th Floor
167-169 Great Portland Street
London, W1W 5PF
As your first port of call for any support, please email Jade at jdoutre@action.org.uk. Alternatively, you can also contact us at community@action.org.uk.
December 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to your December Community E-News
Season's greetings and welcome to our final edition of 2024.
What a remarkable year it has been! As we approach the end of the year, we are all buzzing with activity and excitement. There have been numerous events and activities this year, achieving some truly outstanding milestones in fundraising.
There is so much to be grateful for and reflect upon from this past year. Your ongoing support has been the driving force behind all our successes. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and for your unwavering support.
Pictured above is Wilfred, our Christmas appeal star. Wilfred was born suddenly at 25 weeks weighing just 2lb 6oz. He was so tiny and fragile that the joy his parents felt at the birth of their first child was quickly overshadowed by the fear that they could lose their little boy.
Wilfred developed the dangerous bowel disease, necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), and at just six days old he endured surgery with 25cm of his bowel removed and a stoma bag fitted.
After four months in hospital and a further operation to reverse his stoma, little Wilfred was finally able to go home, weighing 7lbs.
It was a deeply distressing time for new parents Imogen and Euan: "It was awful - first we thought he'd die at birth, then he was well and he got NEC. You don't understand the severity until it's happened."
Read Wilfred's incredible story here, and to find out more about Action's research to tackle premature birth, have a look here.
From all at Action, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to catching up with you in 2025.
Thank you for making a difference!
Thanks to amazing supporters like you, 2024 has seen some amazing successes. This includes urgently needed research to give hope to children suffering from devastating, often life-limiting, rare diseases.
We couldn't have done any of this without people like you – thank you. We hope you enjoy this video message from just some of the children, families and researchers that our vital work aims to help.
Committee Fundraising Zoom Drop-In
Our first Committee Fundraising Zoom drop-in of 2025 will be in January. We hope you can join us and share best practices, ideas and plans for the year ahead. As always, if you have any questions about the drop-in, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Date: Wednesday 29th January 2025
Time: 12pm - 1pm
Meeting ID: 811 8026 8801
Passcode: 271069
Action's Autumn Events Season News
Champions of Cyclesport
The 15th Champions of CycleSport Dinner, supported by Garmin, BDO, Lifeplus and ERDINGER Alkoholfrei, took place in November at the new improved venue, the Royal Lancaster. More than 500 guests enjoyed a drinks reception, meal, and the chance to mingle with some of the world’s greatest riders, both legends and current. They also took part in our most successful ever live auction, which raised over £80,000. Our guest speaker, Jack Fairbrother from Garmin, also spurred the room to donate around £20k after his powerful speech about his son Lando, who was born prematurely and with congenital heart and kidney issues.
Overall, the evening raised over £280,000 for Action Medical Research, an outstanding achievement. A huge thank you to all staff and volunteers who worked hard to make this such a success.
You can read more about this in our press release on our website.
Dine with Davina
The Dine with Davina event in October was another triumph, and we not only met our fundraising goal but exceeded it, raising over £78,000!
The live auction was a huge success, with some items sparking bidding wars, and Davina herself even won a prize!
A huge thank you to everyone involved; the hard work and dedication of our team made this event truly special. Long-term family story and supporter Fleur Mitchell also did a brilliant job speaking about her son, Aiden.
To top it all off, Davina joined in on the dance floor, adding extra fun to an already unforgettable day.
Thank you again to everyone who helped make Dine with Davina such a fantastic success.
Killer Heels & Cocktails – Glasgow
Killer Heels Glasgow went off with a bang on Friday 1 November! Held at the city’s Voco Grand Central Hotel, the event saw more than 300 glamorous ladies enjoying a fabulous day of socialising, delicious food and dancing.
Linda Marley, our Fundraising Manager for Scotland, said: “The entertainment from Queenz was super fun and those who attended gave generously throughout the day. Guests also heard from Sophie Lennox, who shared her powerful story of how pioneering brain surgery, using a technique developed with support from Action, cured her epilepsy.”
Fundraising in Action
There has been some fantastic fundraising from our committees and supporter groups within these final months of 2024, so a huge thank you to all involved in making these events happen. The ongoing support we have is invaluable, and we are very excited to see what we can achieve in 2025!
Peterborough Committee are always busy this time of year, as mentioned last edition, they held their Ricky Groves Golf Day, plus their PB Lunch Club and Quiz Night, with quizmaster The Dark Destroyer, Shaun Wallace from ITV's The Chase. Peterborough also held the Million Dreams Ball, hosted by Jimmy Constable of boy band 911.
Orkney held their Paddington raffle at the end of November, which was very successful. A special mention to Kate, who traveled to the mainland to Wick, to raise funds in their local Tesco. Kate then continued and took the ferry to Shetland and raised funds in their Tesco too!
Colerne Committee held their annual Christmas coffee morning, raising £1,605, their highest amount ever! It was a lovely sunny morning with a good turnout.
Heage are holding their annual Santa Sleigh event on 21-22 December. We are certain it will be wonderful and wish them success!
As always, we really love to hear about all your fundraising activities, whether they be annual favourites or something new. However you choose to help raise vital funds for Action, we want to know! Please do share your fundraising adventures with us, so we can share and inspire others. Once again, a huge thank you to all involved, we are truly grateful to have such dedicated committees and supporter groups.
Your community contacts
A reminder that the address 'FREEPOST Action Medical Research' is no longer in use, please direct all correspondence to:
Action Medical Research
5th Floor
167-169 Great Portland Street
London, W1W 5PF
As your first port of call for any support, please email Jade at jdoutre@action.org.uk. Alternatively, you can also contact us at community@action.org.uk.
September 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to your September Community E-News
A warm welcome to your Autumn edition of the community and supporter group e-news for 2024. We hope you have had a lovely summer (from what we got of it!) and we are excited to share our news from this quarter.
Our appeal star this issue is Eva, pictured above with her mother, Sophie. Eva has the rare liver disease progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 3 (PFIC3). Treatment options are currently very limited, and Eva will likely need a life-saving transplant in the years to come.
A new gene therapy, being developed by Action-funded researchers, could eventually transform treatment for children like Eva, sparing them from the long waits and risks of complications associated with liver transplants.
To read more about Eva's story click here
Research News
Oscar is 13 and has neurofibromatosis type 2, a rare condition that causes multiple slow-growing tumours in different parts of the nervous system. Over the last few years, he's developed around 10 different tumours. Those that are growing on his spine have caused severe problems in his left leg and foot.
Children and teenagers with NF2 can experience problems with hearing, sight, balance and mobility, and can suffer from weakness, pain, and headaches, as well as life threatening complications, due to these tumours.
There is currently no cure for NF2 and treatments such as surgery, where it's possible, or radiotherapy are often only partially effective. Sadly, tumours can also recur.
In 2016, Action supported work into testing existing antiviral drugs that could be repurposed to help treat NF2. This has now led to an exciting clinical trial in patients which started in 2024. Oscar's mum Jo says ''These new drugs could be a game changer for patients and their families.''
Read more here on this research success story here. And to understand the positive impact this will have on the lives of young people like Oscar, read his story here.
Committee & Supporter Group Zoom drop-in
Each quarter we hold our Zoom drop-in to encourage any committees, supporter groups or fundraising individuals to come together to share ideas about fundraising events and support. Everyone is welcome. Joining details are below and if you need any help to join, please email us at community@action.org.uk
Meeting ID: 845 3521 9233
Passcode: 385507
Click here for the meeting link
Fundraising in Action
There have been so many wonderful fundraising events in the past few months - in all shapes and sizes! It is always a delight to see all the fantastic ways you all raise funds for Action. A huge thank you to all committees, supporter groups and fundraising individuals that do so much for us.
Peterborough held their Ricky Groves Celebrity Golf Day and Quiz Night earlier this month. We are awaiting a total raised but it was most definitely another huge success this year.
Woodbridge have been playing bingo, raising a fantastic £1528
Stow and Moreton have raised a lovely total of £2082 from their annual garden party and collection box funds.
Melrose House Nursery School have raised a wonderful £30 from their Bring Your Bear event.
Radlett Prep School also held a Bring Your Bear event raising a lovely £41.
And the Gypsy Bridge Pre School raised a fantastic £48 for their Bring Your Bear event.
Lastly, St. Annes Prep School raised a wonderful £60 for their Teddy Bear's Picnic this summer.
It looks like many a bear enjoyed a day out for Action! Well done all. Please do let us know what you have been up to, and send us some wonderful photos! at community@action.org.uk
Christmas Cards
We now have a wonderful new platform that committees may use to order their Christmas cards for 2024, either online or by telephone.
Online:
- committees can visit the Action charity card shop
-choose 'committees log in' along the top
- enter
Committee number: AMR24COM
Committee Postcode: W1W 5PF
(the same for all committee orders)
- select preferred Christmas cards
- checkout and enter details, the order amount will be zero
- committees will receive a confirmation email
Telephone:
- committees can call our dedicated number 01227 811 657 to make an order
- committees will need to quote the following:
Committee number: AMR24COM
Committees Postcode: W1W 5PF
A message from Lewis Coghlin -
Director of Fundraising
'Over the next few weeks, we will be reaching out to you by phone to gain a better understanding of the data collected and stored by the Committees. This may include mailing lists with contact details (such as names and addresses) or lists of email addresses. We aim to understand how often you communicate with these lists on average and their specific uses, as this will help us assess the volumes and type of data the Charity holds. Additionally, we’re interested in learning how these lists are stored and how frequently the data is updated - this information is crucial for ensuring Data Protection compliance. After completing this initial audit, we can determine if any additional support or assistance is needed.'
Your community contacts
A reminder that the 'FREEPOST Action Medical Research' address to send any correspondence, including cheques, is no longer in use. Please use:
Action Medical Research
5th Floor
167-169 Great Portland Street
London, W1W 5PF
As your first port of call for any support, please email Jade at jdoutre@action.org.uk. Alternatively, you can also contact us at community@action.org.uk.
June 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to your June Community E-News
A warm welcome to your second e-news for 2024, and what an exciting year we are having so far! There have been some wonderful fundraising achievements and some fantastic events, alongside promising news in research.
Our feature story, Poppy, is pictured above. Poppy has a rare neuromuscular condition called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), which she developed suddenly following a virus when she was six years old. Poppy has benefitted from taking part in Frame Running, a sport for young people with limited mobility that has been supported by Action funding. Read Poppy's journey here, and have a look at the positive impact of Frame Running here.
Your ongoing support makes everything happen. Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and for your hard work.
Committee fundraising Zoom drop-in
The next committee and supporter group zoom drop-in will be
Wednesday 11 September, 1 - 2pm.
As always, this drop-in gives us a space to share and discuss fundraising ideas, events, and anything else. You can find the information and joining link below:
Meeting ID: 874 1306 6074
Passcode: 4bJh5s
click here for Zoom meeting link
New research funded with your support
Thanks to amazing supporters like you, we have just funded three new Research Training Fellowships. These special grants support some of the most promising doctors early in their research careers – developing future leaders in children's medical research.
Two of these Fellowships will focus on the care and long-term health of premature babies. The first of which is Dr Shin Tan at the University of Nottingham, who hopes to reduce the risk of breathing tubes causing infections in preterm babies by testing a new antimicrobial polymer coating. Our second fellow, Dr Heather Kitt at the University of Oxford, is focussed on reducing pain and improving long-term health for premature babies by research into the benefits of skin-to-skin care during clinically required painful procedures that preterm infants experience.
Our third Fellow, Dr Tom Altmann of Newcastle University, aims to develop a computer model that will help predict the best dosing of chemotherapy drugs in children with rare inherited conditions who need a stem cell transplant.
Read more about our new Fellows' research here.
Protecting babies from CMV
June is CMV awareness month, so we have been sharing why knowing about this virus is crucial and how Action-funded research aims to help.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is common and usually harmless, but it can cause lifelong problems for some babies whose mothers catch it during pregnancy. These can include hearing loss, sight issues and developmental or learning difficulties. Early detection and prompt treatment can improve outcomes, which is why Action is helping to fund the development of a new low-cost screening test that could give rapid results for newborn babies.
We will continue our focus into July, have a read here.
Action Events
It has been an excitingly active few months here at Action, with our RIDE series well underway alongside some special events.
RIDE Wessex Downs, RIDE Castle, RIDE Suffolk Sunrise and RIDE the Dales saw plenty of folks come and enjoy a cycling challenge in their own way, all in aid of Action. Plus Davina's Big Sussex Bike RIDE saw 400 riders take to the roads of sunny Sussex joined by TV's Davina McCall. A big thank you to all the RIDE team staff and volunteers who help make our activity events possible.
The very successful ladies lunch Killer Heels and Cocktails Aberdeen was held on May 31 at The Marcliffe. Attended by 250 fabulous guests, almost £50,000 was raised. Supported by a wonderful and very dedicated committee, the event has been running for many years and has raised over £1 million for Action. We look forward to the Glasgow edition in November!
We also came together in thanks to another £1 million, raised through many years of dedication and effort by the Peterborough Committee. Last issue we highlighted their incredible achievement, and last week Paddington joined our chief executive Julie Buckler to give thanks at a special dinner to celebrate this wonderful milestone.
Community fundraising action
This quarter has seen a fantastic amount of committee and supporter group events take place with an incredible amount of fundraising. Well done to everyone involved and a huge thank you for all your time and dedication to Action. Here are a few highlights of recent activities within the Action community:
Amberley had their biennial open gardens, with 28 properties opening their gardens to the public. A superb turnout of around 1080 visitors attended and just over £15,000 was raised!
Heage committee in Derbyshire held their annual garden party and raised a record £5,100, the most they have ever made! This was their 37th garden party, and they are almost at the £100,000 mark since the event began.
The Trevor-Roberts School in London raised £150 by holding a Bring Your Bear for Action event!
Roydon committee raised a wonderful £489 providing refreshments at the Roydon Art Show!
Ryton-on-Dunsmore committee held an Afternoon Tea, with ticket sales and a raffle totalling £1,042! Not only that but they also held a coffee morning more recently, raising £941 from plant sales alongside the cakes, teas and raffle!
Also a shout out to Jane Marriott from Spalding who has just added an additional £535.50 to her 2023 total, selling her own 'Jane's Jams'! That's a fantastic £820 for 2023 and 2024 sales are already underway, leading with marmalade and strawberry jam... Delicious!
Your community contacts
We love to share what you've been up to for Action, please send us any photos of recent events and activities. We love to celebrate them and they just might inspire someone else!
For any support, please email jdoutre@action.org.uk
Alternatively, you can contact us at community@action.org.uk
A reminder to address all cheques to FREEPOST Action Medical Research
March 2024 Newsletter
Welcome to your March Community E-News
A warm welcome to your first Community E-News for 2024. We are looking forward to a fantastic year of fundraising and are already off to a wonderful start.
Rare Diseases Day took place on February 29th. Families facing rare diseases can experience some of the toughest fights imaginable. Diagnosis can all too often be a very long and painful journey. And sadly, the vast majority of rare diseases – around 95 percent – have no effective treatment or cure. Many are also life-limiting.
Our rare disease research campaign continues to raise awareness and funds for vital research and, thanks to supporters, we have raised over £600,000. But there is so much more to be done. Collectively, rare diseases affect many thousands in the UK alone and 70 percent begin in childhood. Your continued support can lead to new discoveries and, eventually, new treatments, that bring hope to families.
Hope to families like Emmy's, pictured above, whose story we shared with you in September. We spent some time with Emmy and her family, making a short film to show why this work is so important.
You can watch the video here.
Committee fundraising Zoom drop-in
We loved meeting those of you who were able to join our regional meeting in February. Our next Zoom drop-in details are below, we hope to see you there.
Wednesday 15th May
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Meeting ID: 852 4171 8048
Passcode: 386151
Peterborough's £1 million milestone
The Peterborough Committee have reached a significant milestone in their fundraising to help sick and disabled babies, children and young people, having raised more than £1m since 1996.
"This remarkable achievement is a testament to the unwavering commitment and boundless generosity of the Peterborough Committee," said Lewis Coghlin, Director of Fundraising at Action Medical Research. "Their dedication to our cause has been truly inspiring, and we are immensely grateful for their tireless efforts in advancing medical research to help transform the lives of children."
Atlantic success!
Adventurer and endurance athlete Linda Blakely has completed her solo row across the Atlantic Ocean in aid of Action Medical Research. Linda finished her 3,000-mile row in 54 days, 9 hours and 25 minutes!
At the time of this e-news, Linda has surpassed her target and raised £109,000 for Action and our research into rare diseases. Linda's epic 54-day crossing was inspired by Piper, the young daughter of one of her employees, who is very ill with an extremely rare genetic disease. To read more about Linda and her remarkable achievement, have a look here.
Aberdeen Ladies' Lunch
Our annual ladies' lunch in Aberdeen took place at The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa on Thursday 21st March. It was a fabulous day, with over 200 guests in attendance. The raffle prizes were superb and the food exquisite. The committee put on such a great event each year, with the same dedicated attendees showing up again and again to support the charity.
Committee and fundraising news
As mentioned, we are already off to an amazing start this year, with some fantastic fundraising going on in all shapes and sizes. A massive thank you to all committees and supporters who have been working hard in the past three months, here is a selection...
Colerne Committee had a very successful Soup `n` Spud Lunch. Even though the weather wasn’t on their side, they still managed a crowd of 63 and raised an amazing £1,100!
Ryton-on-Dunsmore held a quiz at their village hall, including a raffle, auction and prizes, which raised a wonderful £875!
Known Action supporter Charles Johnson has just completed the Ultra X Tanzania, a five-day-long 220 ultra marathon running event around Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Describing it as “the toughest five days of his life”, he managed to complete the event in 32 hours and 18 minutes while raising over £5,000 for the charity!
Although we said farewell to the Hamilton Committee last year, long-standing committee ambassador Hamish Wilson MBE celebrated his 90th birthday earlier this month. Relatives and friends joined him to celebrate at Hamilton Accies Football Club, and he requested no gifts but instead donations to Action Medical Research. Including his Just Giving page and funds raised during the party, he has raised over £2,700. Hamish is still flying the flag for Action and is looking forward to having another event for his 100th birthday.
A fond farewell
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to the Arun Committee, who are sadly disbanding after an incredible 28 years of fundraising. In that time they have raised over £170,000 to save and change children's lives. We thank them for all they have done for Action and their many years of dedication and hard work.
We are truly grateful.
Community contacts and information
As your first port of call for any support, please email Jade at jdoutre@action.org.uk
Alternatively, you can also contact us at community@action.org.uk
A gentle reminder to please address all cheques to:
FREEPOST Action Medical Research
December 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to your latest Action Community E-News
A seasonal welcome to our final edition for 2023, and what a successful year it has been! The end of the year is always busy and exciting at Action Medical Research with many events and some truly incredible achievements in fundraising. There is lots to be grateful for and reflect upon this past year, and your ongoing support makes everything happen.
Our Christmas appeal star, six-year-old George, is in the pictures above. He was born with severe lung surfactant deficiency – and his parents were told to prepare for the worst. You can read more about him and our appeal here.
From all at Action, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We look forward to catching up with you in 2024.
Thank you for an incredible 2023
Thanks to amazing supporters like you, 2023 has seen us able to fund 13 new medical research projects.
This includes urgently needed research to give hope to children suffering from devastating, often life-limiting, rare diseases. Plus research that aims to prevent premature birth; work to protect babies from an infection that can have lifelong consequences; and supporting the development of new tests to improve the treatment of asthma in young children.
We couldn't have done any of this without people like you – thank you. We hope you enjoy this video message from just some of the children and families our vital work aims to help.
Committee Fundraising Zoom Drop In
Our first Committee Fundraising Zoom Drop In for 2024 will take place in January. We encourage as many committee members as possible to join us in this space, where we can listen and discuss fundraising ideas and best practices together. Please see below for details.
Date: 24th January 2024
Time: 1:00pm
Log In Details:
Meeting ID: 860 4270 2883
Passcode: 592521
Action's Autumn Events – Event Season News
Dine With Davina
This fabulous event returned for its 17th year at the Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour Hotel and was an outstanding success!
A phenomenal £71,844 was raised this year, which is an unbelievable 32% up on last year! An amazing achievement for our cause.
Ladies travelled to enjoy a fantastic day of laughter, fun and games, with opportunities to browse a selection of jewellery and gift stalls, have some fun with the magic mirror photo booth, and enjoy an exclusive photo with Davina herself.
A true favourite event for many with such an incredible outcome for Action.
Champions of Cyclesport
The Champions of Cyclesport Gala Dinner, sponsored by Garmin, BDO, Rouleur and Lifeplus, and hosted by Olympian Ewan Thomas, was another resounding success in November. Over 600 guests and more cycling stars than ever were treated to an evening of entertainment, fun and games, and plenty of very impressive fundraising.
A standout moment was the pledge moment which followed a speech by Louise, one of our family stories (Jessica's story) who spoke movingly about the life and loss of her daughter Jessica, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This raised a staggering £29,000 in less than 10 minutes.
Overall, the evening raised over £280,000 for Action Medical Research, an outstanding achievement. A huge thank you to all staff and volunteers who worked hard to make this such a success.
You can read more about this in our press release on our website.
Fundraising in Action
There have been some fantastic amounts raised in the last few months from many committee and supporter groups, so a huge thank you to all. The ongoing support we have had this year has been amazing and we look forward to 2024!
Peterborough Committee held their amazing annual golf day in September, which was once again a big success. And such is the popularity of the day that the 2024 edition is already sold out almost a year in advance! The committee also held its latest PB Lunch Club and most recently its Quiz Night, with quizmaster The Dark Destroyer, Shaun Wallace, from ITV's The Chase. A big thank you to all involved in these events.
The fabulous Chiltern Fingest Opera was held in September, raising an impressive £10,000.
Chiltern also more recently had their lovely Autumn Fair, raising a wonderful £9,394.
East Coker had their very popular Diva Lunch in October, which raised a fantastic £12,582!
Colerne Committee had a Christmas Coffee Morning, raising a wonderful £1,120.
Orkney raised £616 over two days with a table at their local Tesco in late September. A special mention to Avril and her friends who volunteered.
Tiverton Committee also applied for match-funding from their Rugby World Cup Quiz Night, mentioned in our September update, and they were awarded the full amount of another £4,480! Truly marvellous.
Committee and Supporter Group Roadshow
As mentioned in our last update, we are aiming to bring back some face-to-face events to be able to meet with as many committee and supporter groups as possible in the future. Our Community and Supporter Group Roadshow will be held annually in different locations around the country, and all groups are welcome to join any event.
We will host a lunch and a talk from a researcher, who will update and speak about their work and ongoing vital research. Our first event will take place in February, and the location has been updated. Please see below.
Date: 23rd February 2024
Location: Wellington Suite, Red Lion Hotel, Salisbury, SP1 2AN
Time: 11:00am - 3:00pm
If you would like to join us, please email community@action.org.uk and confirm your attendance.
A fond farewell to some of our committees
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to some long-running committees, who after very many years of dedication and hard work are retiring. Thank you for all you've done to support Action – for all the wonderful events you've organised and for all the funds raised. From fabulous fashion shows, to great garden parties, Christmas cookery, to bridge drives, quiz nights, walks, dances, runs and so much more!
Southend On Sea, Great Dunmow, Nantwich, Woodstock, Huntly and Inverness, we are truly grateful.
Your community contacts
As your first port of call for any support, please email jdoutre@action.org.uk
Alternatively, you can also contact us at community@action.org.uk
September 2023
Welcome to your latest Action Community E-News
A warm welcome to your third newsletter for 2023. We hope you have had a lovely summer and we look forward to sharing all our news for this quarter.
Your ongoing support helps make vital research happen - and in this edition we would like to share Emmy's story. Two-year-old Emmy has Vici syndrome, a very rare and life-limiting genetic disorder. With your support, Action is funding vital research that hopes to find new treatments for this devastating condition. You can read Emmy's story here.
Thank you for taking the time to read the newsletter and for all your continued support.
Introducing Jade Doutre – Community and Supporter Group Fundraiser
Hello, my name is Jade. I have recently joined Action in this new role, however I am lucky enough to have been with the charity before, so I’m no stranger here 😊. I look forward to meeting anyone who I have not had the pleasure of meeting just yet and seeing what the year ahead has to offer!
Message from Lewis Coghlin, our Director of Fundraising
“As you know, we have for some time been planning to sell our office building, Vincent House. I can now confirm that the building has now been sold and handed over to a company who intend to use it as a special school.”
“The staff team continues to work very well from home and despite the difficult economic situation, our home-based fundraisers, with your help, are having a fantastic year, and we are currently on track to increase our fundraising income by £1m this year. We are currently planning and budgeting for 2024 and as things stand we look well placed to continue this strong growth."
“Thank you all, from me and on behalf of the children that we are here to help, for the part you are playing in our success.”
Committee Fundraising Zoom Drop In
Once again, we would like to invite all to the Zoom Drop In. We are finding this very useful to come together to discuss ideas and best practices within our communities. Please see below for details.
Date: 8th November 2023
Time: 1:00pm
Log in Details:
Meeting ID: 802 061 1914
Passcode: 601714
Fundraising In Action
A massive thank you to all committees who have raised fantastic amounts for Action Medical Research in the last three months. Here is a run down of those who have held fundraising events in aid of Action.
The Heage Committee hosted their 36th Garden Party earlier this year and raised a wonderful £4,300.
Ryton on Dunsmore raised a lovely £488 at their BBQ back in July.
Ryedale Committee held their annual Secret Garden Party in July raising a fabulous £1,000.
The Beccles Committee raised a fantastic £1,329 at their Summer Concert in August.
The Amberly Committee hosted a Chateaux and Gampeaux event in August, raising an amazing £1,000.
Holt and District Committee recently held a Lunch, Drinks and Raffle event raising a lovely £80.50.
And the Tiverton Committee hosted a Rugby Quiz Night in September which raised a fantastic £4,480 for Action.
The fundraising has been blown out of the water in the last few months, so on behalf of everyone at Action, thank you so much.
Committee and Support Group Roadshow
There have been many discussions about bringing back to the community our face-to-face events. We have been looking at how we can set these up and be able to meet with as many committees and supporter groups as possible.
Our Community Supporter Group Roadshow will meet annually in different parts of the country and all groups are welcome to join any event. Each year we will meet in a different location, so as to facilitate fair accessibility to all. Please don't feel you have to travel across the country to attend each year, next year the location could be closer to you.
At each of our face-to-face events, we will host a lunch and a talk from a researcher, who will update and speak about their work and ongoing vital research. Events will generally take place on a Friday and will run from 11:30am to 2:00pm.
Our first event will be:
Date: Friday 23rd February 2024
Location: Browns Brasserie and Bar, Bath, BA1 7LP
Time: 11:30am - 2:00pm
If you would like to join us, please email community@action.org.uk and confirm your attendance.
A fond farewell to some long-serving committees
Hamilton Committee
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to the Hamilton Committee who have been supporting Action for more than 30 years. They have raised over £162,000 for Action Medical Research, which is fantastic, and we are really sad to see them go.
A special mention to Hamish, who joined the Hamilton Committee in 1962 and has been a great ambassador ever since, helping to organise many fundraisers and also sourcing other third-party opportunities. An organised lunch was attended by Hamish and his wife Ann, committee members Christine Moore, Lesley Hamilton and Irene Torrance to pay special thanks and award Hamish with a lifetime achievement plaque for raising funds for Action and helping save and change the lives of so many.
Eastbourne Committee
Eastbourne Committee has been supporting Action for over 17 years and has raised an amazing £34,471 by being responsible for the running of a library of 'previously loved' books in a barn, for sale by donation honesty boxes at Bates Green Farm, Arlington. The owner of the farm opens his magnificent Bluebell Woods and cafe to the public for six weeks every spring for the benefit of a considerable number of charities, and his gardens and bookstall remain open every Wednesday until October. We are extremely grateful for the support from Eastbourne Committee and wish them nothing but success in the future.
A short message from Eastbourne:
“The Committee, only seven of us now, has worked hard to keep the shelves well-stocked and attractive and the money boxes regularly cleared and paid into the bank. We are particularly grateful to Frances and Ray Penn who have been tireless in their commitment and leadership - there is a lot of sorting, discarding, labeling and generally keeping on top of things as huge numbers of carrier bags of books are deposited throughout the year. However, the time has now come to hand over our little baby to another charity to carry on the good work. Perhaps we may inspire others to find a venue and recycle the hundreds of books that otherwise get thrown out.”
New gifts in wills leaflet available to order
Our new six-page leaflet promoting the guide to writing a will is now available to order. The leaflet includes details about the Will Guide and how supporters can change children’s lives forever by leaving a gift to Action in their will. Anyone interested in leaving a gift to Action can then complete the tear-off form to request the full Will Guide with all the details they need. It would be great if you could use this leaflet at any events you’re holding so that anyone interested can take the leaflet to find out more. Please contact jdoutre@action.org.uk to order your copies.
Your Community Contacts
As your first port of call for any support, please email Jade at jdoutre@action.org.uk.
Alternatively, you can also contact us at community@action.org.uk.
June 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to your Action Community E-News
Welcome to your second newsletter of 2023 and we have a lot of exciting information to share with you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and keeping up to date with what has happened.
Introducing: Hannah Smith
I’m Hannah and I am delighted to join Action! I am completely new to the charity sector, coming from 17 years in hospitality, and I am excited to combine my experience with growth and development into my new role – and what a fantastic charity to be a part of!
I have always enjoyed meeting people and building relationships, and I believe the human connection can go a long way and achieve great things.
I grew up in a village just outside of Leeds, and currently reside in a rural village southeast of York, with my partner Matthew and our two little boys, George and Albert. George is almost 4 and very imaginative, Albert is 15 months and has an unquenchable thirst for mischief.
As a family, we all enjoy exploring new historic places of interest, days on the beach, and enjoying picnics outside – or in! And if there’s any time left at the end of the day, I enjoy film, analogue photography and have a passion for crochet.
MESSAGE FROM LEWIS COGHLIN
Committee Fundraising Zoom Drop-in
It would be great if you could join the drop in as it would be a good opportunity for you to meet Hannah and hear all about what we have planned for 2023- 2024.
When: 9th August 6:00pm
Where: CLICK HERE FOR ZOOM LINK
Ordering Materials Update
The move of fundraising stores from Vincent House to Mosaic was completed in April.
If you need any fundraising materials or updated materials such as envelopes, letter headed paper, collecting tins or anything to help your fundraising, please email Megan at mmcfarlane@action.org.uk for your requests.
Regarding sending money in, we would ask, if possible, to transfer via BACS. When sending the funds across, please use the Committee name as the reference or your own name. Details are as follow:
Bank Name Natwest
Account Name Action Medical Research
Account Number 48292796
Sort Code 56-00-33
Reference NAME
Where cheques do need to be sent in, don’t forget that the address is: FREEPOST Action Medical Research
Fundraising in Action
Over the last couple of months, committees and supporter groups have been extremely successful in their fundraising. At Action, we are extremely grateful for the ongoing support we have received this year and we look forward to your continued support throughout the year.
In April 29th, Mid Sussex held their annual Reel fundraising event raising £3,318. It was a successful evening full of dancing and great food. They also had attendance from our very own Sarah Stevenson who we heard was taking over the dance floor with her reeling. We look forward to next year. (image in folder)
Back in May, Ryton on Dunsmore held their Coronation Afternoon Tea in aid of Action and raised £886. We thank them for their support.
On 29th May, Angela and the Peterborough Committee hosted their very own ‘Sellbrity’ Football match held at Peterborough United Football Stadium. It had celebrity guests such as Callum Best and Jake Cornish providing entertainment for the crowd as well as raising important funds for Action. In total, the day took in over £3000 which is brilliant, and we hope this is something Peterborough can do again.
On 11th June, Ryedale had their Spring Walk which raised £1556. What a lovely time to host your spring walk when the weather is tropical outside.
Jenny and the Woodbridge Supporter Group have held numerous bingos throughout April and May and raised £567 for us taking their total this year to £1469. Superb from Woodbridge!
Holt & District held one of their many Lunches and Raffle for Action raising £79.
Fiona and the Tiverton Committee hosted a Comedy Night on 3rd June full of laughs which raised over £4000. Huge well done to Tiverton!
Thank you so much to all the committees who have continued to fundraise for Action Medical Research. We really appreciate it, and we would not be able to carry out the work we do without your help.
Individual Fundraising
On 26th May, George Cawley, husband of Action staff member, Sherene, hosted a charity football match at Sutton United Football Stadium, all in aid of Action and has raised over £5,200 through fees, raffle tickets and donations. Massive well done to George and great to see the support from the community for Action.
Easy ways to support
Here at Action, we have different ways you can support us especially through recycling, selling items on eBay or even just changing your search engine. If you find yourself having a clear out, then please consider Action Medical Research to recycle some of your belongings.
Fundraise for us | Action Medical Research
Join us on Facebook!
Earlier last year we created an Action Committee & Volunteer Group page on Facebook.
This is a platform where our fundraising groups can share successes and photos from events, as well as interacting with and supporting each other too. It would be fantastic if you could join and share all your exciting news, pictures and stories. This is a private group and can only be accessed by the above link.
New guide to writing a will
We have recently developed a new booklet about writing a will. Gifts in wills are a vital source of income for Action and we currently don’t get a lot of income this way compared with other charities. We’d love you to include these new guides at events whenever you can.
The guide includes all you need to know to get started with writing a will, including frequently asked questions and how to use our free will writing offer.
Please get in touch with Gill Chung on gchung@action.org.uk to order your copies.
You can also find out more on the Action website (link to action.org.uk/willguide)
March 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to your latest Action Community E-News
Welcome to the first community e-newsletter for 2023. The last few months at Action have been extremely busy and exciting so we cannot wait to share with you what is going on.
Thank you for taking the time to read the newsletter and I look forward to catching up with you soon.
Paddy's Story
Paddy has KCNT1-related epilepsy, a rare disease which has no cure and has left him severely disabled. Since he was a tiny baby, he has suffered thousands of seizures. Most devastatingly of all, children with is condition often don't live into double figures. Action Medical Research is funding research at the University of Leeds to help identify chemical compounds that could from the basis of urgently needed new medicines for children with KCNT1-related epilepsies.
Your next Fundraising Zoom Drop-in
Fundraising Zoom Drop-in
When: Wednesday 10th May 2023 at 6.00pm – 6.45pm
Where: CLICK HERE FOR ZOOM LINK
UPDATE: Vincent House
Ordering Action materials
This is to let you know that there will be some downtime in terms of being able to get hold of Action materials which you usually order from stores.
As from end of the day on Thursday 6 April until Monday 24 April, you will not be able to get any materials from stores.
If you need anything between these dates, please order ahead from Chris in Stores by the end of the day on Thursday 6 April.
As from Monday 24 April, you will need to order materials from Megan McFarlane (mmcfarlane@action.org.uk) and we will let you know more information about how this will work very shortly. Any other queries, please let Megan know.
Regarding cheques, we would ask, if possible, to transfer via BACS. When sending the funds across, please use the Committee name as the reference or your own name. Details are as follow:
Bank Name Natwest
Account Name Action Medical Research
Account Number 48292796
Sort Code 56-00-33
Reference NAME
As some of you may be aware, with the change over from Vincent House it sadly means that Chris Tanner will be leaving us at the end April. I know many of you have worked closely with him over the years and he will be missed across the charity. I have created a farewell card for Chris, so if you would like to leave him a message then please click HERE. I have added the option of a gift card donation which is of course optional.
Action Cream Teas & Bring Your Bear
This year we are back with our Regional Action Cream Teas and Bring Your Bear. We have updated our Fundraise For Us page with all the information regarding both events. Please register your interest as it is something you do not want to miss out on.
If you plan to arrange your own Cream Tea we encourage you to source your own materials and fresh items. Rodda’s cream are continuing to do free orders of Jam and Cream up to a certain number so please get your orders in fast as they have just sold out for May 2023. If you are interested in arranging a cream tea event, please tell us about it on Cream Teas at Home | Action Medical Research or email Megan at mmcfarlane@action.org.uk with the details.
Fundraising news from Committees and Groups
In the last few months there have been fantastic amounts raised within committee and supporter groups and it is only March. The ongoing support we have had this year is terrific and we look forward to all your plans for 2023.
It has been great to see so many fundraising events taking place such as the Heage Santa Sleigh, Hunstanton Lunch and Colerne’s Soup and Spud just to name a few!
- Thirsk & District raised a superb amount £400 from their auction in aid of Action.
- Woodbridge raised a fantastic amount of £570 from car boot sales and general fundraising activities.
- Holt & District raised £132.00 for Action from their annual lunches which is a great amount.
- East Lothian raised £100 from the Paddington collecting buckets which is brilliant.
Condolences
Dumfriesshire Committee Chairman Susie Annandale, countess of Annandale, died last year in November. She will be sorely missed as she had been on the committee for several years. Here at Action, we can firmly say that Susie had a large impact at Action and her dedication to fundraising for us will not be forgotten.
Margaret Dagless, a long-standing member of the Holt commitee, sadly passed away earlier this year. Each year in December, Holt had their annual coffee morning in December at Margaret’s house. Margaret did so much for Action and she will be missed dearly.
Disbandments
After 26 years of supporting Action, Yorkshire Gala Committee have sadly decided to disband. Since 1993 they have raised almost £142,000 and we are extremely grateful for that. We are honoured that they have tirelessly supported the charity through all their fundraising and wish them all the best for the future.
New Guide to Writing A Will
We have recently developed a new booklet about writing a will. Gifts in wills are a vital source of income for Action and we currently don’t get a lot of income this way compared with other charities. We’d love you to include these new guides at events whenever you can.
The guide includes all you need to know to get started with writing a will, including frequently asked questions and how to use our free will writing offer.
Please get in touch with Gill Chung on gchung@action.org.uk to order your copies.
You can also find out more on the Action website (link to action.org.uk/willguide)
December 2022 Newsletter
Thank You for a Successful 2022!
Welcome to your final edition of the community e-newsletter for 2022. The last few months at Action have been extremely busy and exciting, especially with the lead up to Christmas. It has been brilliant to reflect on this year and the fantastic ongoing support we have had.
A lot has happened in the four months since the last newsletter, so thank you so much for taking the time to read this and keep up to date.
Our gorgeous Christmas appeal star, Finley, is in the picture above. He was born with Diamond- Blackfan Anaemia, a very rare disease, and you can read more about him and our appeal here.
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and I will look forward to catching up with you in the New Year.
Please have a read of this letter from Lewis Coghlin, our Director of Fundraising, which will update you on plans going forward as we progress with the sale and closure of Vincent House, our head office.
Future Zoom Drop In
The Committee and Supporter Group Fundraiser, Megan, will be holding an open Zoom call on Wednesday the 8th of February at 6.00pm – 6.45pm. It would be great if you could join the drop in as it would be a good opportunity for you to catch up with Megan and hear all about what we have planned for 2023!
Megan McFarlane is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Committee Fundraising Drop In
Time: Feb 8, 2023 06:00 PM London
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82190783541?pwd=K000M3c3dml0Qit6N093d25Hb0hDQT09
Meeting ID: 821 9078 3541
Passcode: 800769
Action's Autumn Events
Dine with Davina
The fabulous Dine with Davina event returned to Southampton for its 16th year, and it did not disappoint.
The event was a huge success raising an incredible £54,350 which is a 7% rise on last year.
The afternoon was filled with fun, games and our lovely ladies were able to enjoy a glass of bubbly at the drinks reception whilst browsing some beautiful stalls of clothes, jewellery and gifts, followed by an exclusive photo opportunity with Davina.
Plans are already in motion for next year.
Killer Heels, Glasgow
Glasgow's most glamorous ladies’ lunch returned, and was attended by 270 ladies. A Shirley Bassey tribute opened the show and entertainer Jordan Williams was excellent throughout the day.
There were lots of amazing auction prizes ranging from a Scottish Artist who would paint someone in one of his iconic paintings to a lady who offered two people to appear in a local film production. This elevated our fundraising income to a brilliant net total of £55,000.
We cannot wait for Killer Heels Glasgow 2023.
Champions of CycleSport 2022
The 12th Champions of CycleSport dinner raised a resounding £260,000. Twenty champion riders attended with 600 corporate guests to enjoy a star-studded evening, sponsored by Garmin and BDO. Celebrity guests who made an appearance included Dragons Den Touker Suleyman, Olympian runner Iwan Thomas and footballer Ben Foster. One of the highlights of the night was Sophie Lennox, our family story speaker who addressed a silent audience and spoke of her new life following groundbreaking research which Action helped make possible. This part of the evening alone raised £13,000.
You Tube Influencer Katie Kookaburra has posted an amazing video on her channel which has been viewed over 16,000 times so great exposure on the back of this event thanks to Garmin bringing her as a guest. Massive thanks to Sarah S and all the amazing Action staff who attended our flagship event and worked hard to ensure it was a memorable event for everyone!
Fundraising news from Committees & Groups
Over the last few months, there has been fantastic amounts have been raised by Committee and Supporter Groups which will hopefully bring our overall total to £120,000, so a massive thank you to you all. The ongoing support we have had this year is terrific and we look forward to more amazing fundraising in 2023.
It has been great to see so many fundraising events take place in the last few months such as the Chiltern Autumn Fair which raised over £8,000, Heage Committee raised £5,500, Tiverton’s Pig Racing Night, Colerne’s Christmas Coffee Morning and Peterborough’s Million Dreams event, which raised almost £7,000, just to name a few.
Stow and Moreton held their annual Garden Party back in October raising a fantastic amount of £900.
Haverhill were back with their successful Harvest Supper which took place on the 22nd October and raised a superb £3,400 for the charity.
Christmas Coffee Mornings returned and were more popular than ever with Colerne hosting their own in November raising a fantastic £1,295.
This year Tiverton committee had a different idea for fundraising which was an epic success, their Pig Racing Night. It raised over £1,700 which we are extremely grateful for.
Hamilton Committee had their annual Ladies Lunch which had a terrific turn out and raised £1,100.
Back in November, Ryedale hosted a Supper which included a Mountain Guide Talk. This raised a fantastic amount of £2,555 which is superb, and we look forward to their continued support.
Barcombe and Lewes held a very successful Action Medical Research Event on the 26th of November which raised £1,708 and they are already planning fundraising ideas for 2023.
Holt and District held not one but two fundraising events for us, one of their annual lunches and a coffee morning earlier in November which raised a superb £102.
Nantwich Committee hosted a raffle in November which raised £900. A fantastic amount and we look forward to what 2023 brings for Nantwich.
Over the last couple of months, the Driffield Committee have raised a terrific £3,012 through various fundraising activities and donations.
Woodbridge Support Group had numerous fundraising activities throughout the last few months and raised £429. Great effort by all those involved, and we look forward to what Woodbridge do for Action in 2023.
2022 has been hugely successful for Committees and Supporter Groups so on behalf of everyone at Action, thank you so much for your continued support and here is to an even more successful 2023!
September 2022 newsletter
Team news
Introducing Megan, Suneata and Lewis
We have three new members of staff to introduce you to, starting with Megan McFarlane, your new Community & Supporter Group Fundraiser.
Megan has previously worked at Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance and recently moved down to Manchester, which has brought her now to Action.
She says: “I'm excited to have joined such a well established and fantastic charity and am looking forward to what lies ahead. I have a passion for fitness, interior design and cooking. I also have two beautiful dogs called Otis and Ted, who are both full of mischief. We all like to take part in charity events, so if you ever see two labradors in an Action t-shirt, you’ll know its Otis and Ted!”
Suneata Singh joins the team as Special Events Fundraising Support Officer, coming from a banking and retail background. Suneata says: “Fundraising and supporting charitable events has always been a passion of mine and I’m delighted to have been able to change roles and do something I love. My hobbies include travelling, cooking and enjoying country walks and general fitness. I’m lucky as I live near the New Forest. A fun fact is that I’ve been 27 for 9 years!”
And Lewis Hobden also joins us as a Fundraising Support Officer, having graduated from Swansea University in Computer Science earlier this year. For the next three months, he'll be working with Ellie and Ruth in Special Events. He says: “My main focus is on organising the CycleSport Dinner programme and silent action, so most of my days are spent trying to pin down donors!
“When I’m not sat behind a keyboard I enjoy travelling, whether that be Aberdeen or Amman, and spending time with my dog, Cali. Everyone I’ve met has been so lovely and I’m really enjoying myself at Action. I look forward to meeting everyone else when I can.”
An Update on Vincent House
From Lewis Coghlin, Director of Fundraising
You will remember that I told you at the end of last year that our trustees had taken the decision for our staff to move to home-based working.
I can now confirm that the trustees have agreed to move forward to sell Vincent House – the building and site. The property is being marketed this month. And after careful thought, the plan is that Stores will be outsourced from 2023. We are currently looking at options which will ensure we continue to provide you with a good service in this respect, and will let you know more in due course.
There’s a huge amount of great fundraising going on at Action, including some fantastic successes which will help with our next round of research funding in the autumn. Thank you so much for the part you are playing in this.
All the very best,
Lewis
Fundraising in Action
Killer Heels returns
We were thrilled to see the long-awaited return of Killer Heels and Cocktails Aberdeen in June, in its new summer slot. Presenter, singer and friend of Action, Jordan Williams joined glamorous guests at the city's Chester Hotel for another event packed full of fun, entertainment and the most amazing auction items!
We are now eagerly looking forward to the Glasgow Killer Heels event in November.
Tony Hadley Golf Classic
September has seen the Peterborough Committee hold another fantastic Tony Hadley Golf Classic.
The pre-event quiz night was a huge success with special guests Mark, Shaun and Anne from TV's The Chase as well as Beth from Eggheads. All in attendance were extremely generous and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. As one supporter said: “What a fantastic night it has been and delighted to be a part of raising funds for such a terrific charity like Action.”
Long-standing supporters, Quai Digital conquered in the quiz and were awarded their prize by actor Ricky Groves (who played Gary in Eastenders).
The fundraising continued the next day on the golf course. Teams were there bright and early for the first tee off and even a sudden turn in the weather, with thunder and lightening halfway through, couldn't dampen the spirits!
The event continued into the night with the Tony Hadley Gala Dinner – and what a night that was, with live music, Tony Christie singing and a live auction. It was all a huge success and here at Action, we all cannot wait for the next one in 2023! A very special thanks and well done to the Peterborough Committee for organising such a brilliant event.
Maybole and Girvan Cream Teas
Early September also saw the Maybole and Girvan Committee hold a Cream Team event in aid of Action. They had a raffle and baling stall too, and raised a fantastic total of £1,550, which will help fund vital research to help sick babies and children.
July 2022 newsletter
Team news
Welcome Ellie
We're over the moon to say a big hello to Ellie, Action's new Special Events Fundraising Manager. If you haven't spoken to her yet, then please pop by to our next Drop-in Zoom session and say hi.
Ellie says: “I'm Ellie Wheelhouse, and I've recently joined Action in the role of Special Events Fundraising Manager.
“With over 20 years' experience in helping to make a difference through fundraising, I have worked with both large and small charities – including The Royal British Legion and Martin House Children’s Hospice. I've also enjoyed volunteering with lots of other charities in my spare time over the years, whether working as an ambassador, supporting event participants or taking on a challenge in a silly costume myself!
“My previous role was working with the British Heart Foundation as their Fundraising Manager across West Yorkshire, where I managed various groups and volunteers, corporate teams and clubs across the region. My passion has always been in trying to support charities where I can, so I'm very excited to be embarking on an exciting journey with Action and working with the team to bring in the money we need to continue to support vital research for the next 70 years and beyond.”
Contact Ellie at ewheelhouse@action.org.uk
Georgina moves on to pastures new
Georgina has been at the heart of Community at Action for over four years, and says:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Action Medical Research. Working alongside some very inspirational groups and committees has been truly humbling and I will miss them. I will of course keep supporting (one of) Paddington's favourite charities and hopefully make an appearance at an event in the near future.”
Georgina is leaving Action on 10th August to join the Office of Philanthropy, Partnerships and Alumni Team (OPPA) at the University of York. We wish her all the very best.
Please send future email correspondence to: community@action.org.uk
Lewis's fundraising bike ride
Our very own Director of Fundraising, Lewis Coghlin, took part in the London to Brighton bike ride on Father’s Day. The 55-mile ride went along quiet country lanes passing through Mitcham, Carshalton, Chipstead, Banstead and Haywards Heath before taking on the challenge that is Ditchling Beacon – a mile long climb!
We’re all very proud of Lewis for taking on the challenge and surviving! Lewis says:
“It was a great day out even though it was extremely tough in parts for someone with questionable fitness! Particularly climbing the infamous Ditchling Beacon. But what kept me going was the thought that I was raising money for our important work. I have received just over £900 so far, with a few final donations still coming in.”
The London to Brighton event has raised over £8,693 for Action Medical Research so far from 314 supporters!
Dine with Davina
This October, Action Ambassador and TV personality Davina McCall is hosting her 16th ladies' lunch.
Dine with Davina is a fun-filled afternoon for friends to enjoy together, with an exclusive opportunity to hear from Davina and enjoy some fabulous entertainment. There are gift stalls to browse, a delicious three-course lunch and an opportunity to dance the night away! So much fun and all in aid of Action Medical Research.
This year’s event is at the Leonardo Grand Harbour Hotel, Southampton on Friday 7th October and we have an exclusive 10% discount on all ticket prices for Action committee members.
For more information go to www.action.org.uk/dine-davina. To claim your discount just use code DAVINA10 at checkout. We look forward to seeing you there!
Fundraising in Action
Amberley Gardens Open
Due to COVID-19, it had been four years since the Amberley Gardens Open last took place – and perhaps absence had made the heart grow even fonder.
Huge numbers of visitors happily paid £7 each for a programme and entrance sticker before embarking on not just a visit to the gardens but home-made tea and cakes, a tombola, and the famous plant stalls.
Committee Chairman, Suzie Coates said: “The amount raised is more than £12,000 and to say we are overjoyed is an understatement. Over nine hundred visitors and the car park was at capacity, with only 12 spaces left! After a four year break it was just so good to be back. It’s been a superb day – perfect weather, perfect gardens, what more could you ask for?”
Lewis Coghlin, Director of Fundraising for Action, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Amberley for all of their hard work in producing such a complex event on behalf of the charity. The total income they have achieved is fantastic and vital for our research."
Cream Teas galore
Committees, supporter groups and volunteers have been out in force celebrating Action's 70th Anniversary with an array of Cream Tea events.
East Coker Committee
East Coker committee distributed around 500 special cream teas in the Yeovil area. Each box contained two scones, a jar of clotted cream, two jars of strawberry jam, some tea and a knife and serviette.
A conveyor belt of scones, clotted cream and jam was set up at the Yeovil home of Action's Somerset and Dorset county chairman, Jane Donnelly. Volunteer drivers then delivered the boxed treats across the area to around 100 different businesses and homes. Jane started the cream tea annual fundraiser locally about 15 years ago.
The event raised a fantastic £2,900. A huge well done to Jane and her team.
Heage Committee
Heage held their annual garden party once again in May this year, serving a vast amount of cream teas.
Jean Fardoe, Heage Committee Chair, says: “We had an amazing Garden Party, raising around £4,000. The weather was a perfect and everyone seemed to enjoy being out, meeting friends that they haven't seen for some years and just getting back to some normality. We made it free entry this year, due to present times, but the raffle seemed to benefit from that. People usually come with a set amount of money and when it has gone, they either hang around listening to this fantastic band or disappear home.”
Mid-Kent Committee
Mid-Kent Committee served up cream teas on 24th June. They charged £5 per box and had a raffle too, they raised £260 in total.
Bridport
Recently held a cream tea afternoon raising £600, which is fantastic for such a tiny hamlet in Dorset! Well done to Jenny and all involved.
Kent volunteer, Dawn Sylvester
Supported us through selling cream teas at the Riverview Infant School in Kent. Dawn says: "The cream tea event went very well. I managed to get all 70 boxes ready in time. Everyone was very pleased and enjoyed them, I've had lots of positive comments. Overall our total was £430." Great work, thank-you Dawn!
Dorset volunteers
Jo Goodfellow and Laura Foot sold 423 cream teas in Dorset at the end of June. They had a mixture of online and offline orders and managed to deliver them across the county on a very hot day! Totals are still being counted. Jo says: "We packed and delivered 423 cream teas, which were received well by those that purchased. We had lots of help from friends and family and had a very successful day."
Barry Committee
Even though the committee has shrunk since Covid-19, they are still producing some fantastic events, including their Spring Fashion Show held in May. Almost 60 people attended and the event raised £570, including a raffle. Paula, Barry Chairman, says: "We could have sold more tickets if we had a larger venue."
A great result and good luck venue hunting Paula.
Barry also held a Jubilee Cream Tea event and Coffee Morning, which collectively raised £920.
Further fundraising activities...
Tiverton Committee
Tiverton held a Stand-up Comedy Night in May, featuring a quartet of comedians. The award-winning Nick Page, Suzy Bennett, Morgan Rees and Alex Kitson all performed. Fiona, Tiverton Chair, says: "We are delighted the event was a success and raised £3,700 for Action."
Peterborough Committee
The Peterborough Committee partied the night away at their spectacular cabaret event back in April. Entertainment was provided by Bobby Davro, Mark Adams and our favourite magical host Paul Martin. Among the guests in the room were Shaun Wallace, Ricky Groves, Parveen Ashraf (The Queen of Spice) and Tony Hadley, who got up to sing a tune or two with Bobby! Another great event from this hardworking committee, who raised over £10,000 from the night.
Mid Sussex Reels
With the event postponed from January to April (due to Omicron), this ensured the dancing could take place.
Action's Ruth Dean says: "It was a wonderful event, held at Windlesham House School in Pulborough West Sussex. The flowers were lovely, the room laid out nicely and the food was amazing. Everyone seemed in fine form and the Reeling was very enthusiastic! A great result with the event raising a net amount of £4,570."
Ryedale Committee
Held a walk and lunch in aid of the Queen's Jubilee and Action's 70th Anniversary. The event was well received by all and raised £1,700.
Horsham's Holy Trinity Church
Held a fantastic Jubilee Party to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee Bank Holiday. The weather was on their side and brought the community together for a great day of fun and celebrations. They were delighted to raise a total of £1,869.43 for Action.
Additional Thanks...
Anne Palmer (Yorkshire Chair), very kindly sent out quite a few trust applications on Action's behalf, which secured a fantastic donation of £2,500 from The Alfred Burton Trust as a result – fantastic news!
We would also like to thank the Woodbridge Supporter Group. Jenny organises bingo nights and flea markets, so far raising almost £500 for Action this year.
Driffield and Hunstanton & District have organised many lunches on behalf of Action this year, which we're sure have been thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Orkney raised almost £500 in a recent street collection, Haslemere raised over £300 from their Flag Day in May and Ryton-on-Dunsmore held a BBQ which raised over £750.
A fond farewell to...
Lowestoft Committee
The Lowestoft Committee has marked the end of an era after almost six decades of supporting Action. Set up in 1965, its first fundraising event was a coffee morning which raised £11.10s (shillings).
Now 57 years and dozens of events later, the committee held its final meeting last week, having raised tens of thousands of pounds. Co-chairwomen Margaret Cole and Jan Paterson said: “As this was our last meeting, we invited our loyal supporters to come and enjoy afternoon tea. The Lowestoft Committee have been in existence for 57 years, although the charity – which is celebrating 70 years of saving and changing lives – was founded nationally in 1952 by Duncan Guthrie, initially to help fund research into polio and to develop the first UK vaccines.”
Action Medical Research are very grateful to Lowestoft for all the hard work and support they have given us over the years, raising over £100,000 during this time.
We wish them the very best for the future.