Cancer charity raises £55,000 to stay open in Somerset
Fundraising relay race helps Vital support for families affected by cancer
A Somerset cancer support charity has raised £55,000 to avoid closure after facing financial pressures.
We Hear You (WHY), based in Frome, launched a fundraising campaign in January to continue offering its specialist counselling services.
Due to increased demand and lack of central government funding, the charity needed £10,000 to reach its goal, which they accomplished through a 24-hour relay race held at the weekend.
Lucy Kitchener, CEO of the charity, emphasised the importance of raising the funds, stating: "Closure would have been a terrible loss."
She explained that the charity supports around 500 people each year and helps families from Somerset, Bath, and North East Somerset and Wiltshire access necessary emotional support.
Relay Efforts
Local teenagers and other supporters played significant roles in the fundraising efforts.
Finn, a 16-year-old whose mum Kirsten benefited from WHY's counselling after a breast cancer diagnosis, ran 5km every day of February and completed a triathlon, raising £8,780.
Kirsten shared the positive impact of the charity's support: "I needed an outlet and I didn't want that to be my family... it was just really, really brilliant and helpful."
WHY provides life-changing counselling to individuals over four years old, recognising the emotional toll of life-threatening conditions on patients and their families.
With ongoing demand rising and financial challenges persisting, WHY is grateful for the community’s support and urges continued assistance to ensure families facing such conditions have a safe space to turn to.
"The funding has given us vital breathing space and although we're not entirely out of the woods, we have a clear stabilisation plan in place," said Kitchener.