From 28th June to 11th July, 5p from every pack of McVitie’s biscuits bought at Morrisons went to our charity partner, CLIC Sargent - the UK’s leading charity for young cancer patients and their families.
£100,000 was raised - so we'd like to say a Big Biscuity Thank You for choosing packs of McVitie's biscuits to help CLIC Sargent.
This summer, McVitie’s have donated 5p from every pack of biscuits you have bought at Morrisons to CLIC Sargent - our charity partner for the next three years. We’re now excited to unwrap their total ‘Snack & Give Back’ campaign donation of £100,000 - an amazing amount that will help CLIC Sargent support young cancer patients and their families with the increased living expenses that can come with a cancer diagnosis.
As part of this summer’s ‘Snack and Give Back’ campaign, our friends at McVitie’s also sent out a Big Biscuity Thank You of their own, to some of CLIC Sargent’s most dedicated volunteers, who have gone above and beyond for the charity, a ‘big biscuity thank you’ hamper and biscuit medal.
Olwyn Peebles, Brian Bushell, Margaret Davies & Joyce Hill
Olwyn Peebles, 89, Brian Bushell, 85, Margaret Davies, 85, and Joyce Hill, 84, have all been volunteering at the CLIC Sargent shop for more than 25 years - and were chosen to receive a hamper full of McVitie’s goodies to thank them for all of their hard work and support in that time - as well as a Big Biscuity medal each.
Shop manager Helene Baker said: “We have such a great team here. All of our long-term volunteers are brilliant, as well as fellow staff Mandy Towler and Mandy Ashwell-Fletcher, who have been here for many years. It’s great for the charity and McVitie’s to recognise their hard work and dedication with some sweet treats. I know they will enjoy them.”
Kim & Mel
These singing fundraisers from Dorset were sent a Big Biscuity Thank You medal and hamper to thank them for their successful musical fundraising for CLIC Sargent. Mel and Kim from Weymouth ran the London Marathon and Prudential 11 Ride London for CLIC Sargent, then boosted their fundraising by taking requests for ‘Carpool Karaoke’ videos, which they then released on YouTube. The videos were hugely popular, raising more than £6,000 for the charity.
Kim said: “As forty-something mums, with three children each, we have been very touched with some of the stories that we have heard and how CLIC Sargent have been so supportive in what must be a parents worst nightmare. To be able to raise funds for such an amazing charity is a real privilege.”
“This is going to make such a huge impact both locally and nationally for the young lives that we support. To put it in perspective it costs £33 for a family to stay in one of our homes from home for a night so this could enable over 3,000 overnight stays!”
Fern West, CLIC Sargent
Anna Sherratt
Anna - a young Welsh cancer survivor and playwright - was chosen by CLIC Sargent to receive the hamper full of McVitie’s goodies to thank her for her support. Just 20 years old when she was diagnosed with lymphoma after finding a lump on her neck, she had been just about to complete her university degree - but instead moved back in with her parents as she started treatment.
During her treatment, Anna decided to put on a gaming-inspired play called ‘Roll for Remission’ through the theatre company she now runs, Cwimni Ennyn Awaken Productions. The play focused on young cancer patients playing a game like Dungeons and Dragons, in which ‘battling for dragons feels easier than battling cancer’. Half of all ticket proceeds were donated to CLIC Sargent.
Anna said: “When I was having treatment I couldn’t do much, so my boyfriend introduced me to gaming. What better way to cheer yourself up when you’re down in the dumps than killing a massive dragon?”
Dan Churchley
Hampshire’s own Houdini was sent a Big Biscuity medal and hamper to thank him for his support - and his most spectacular stunt. Dan amazed spectators when he escaped from a straightjacket while dangling upside down from the Emirates Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth in April.
Dan said: “CLIC Sargent is very close to my heart after losing my best friend at the age of 21 to a short fight with cancer and I did the escape in his memory. It was a seriously high point to get dangled from, but it was worth it to raise money for CLIC Sargent, who were the real inspiration behind the event.”
Kirsten Mutch
Kirsten was also sent a Big Biscuity medal, after being chosen by CLIC Sargent to receive the hamper full of McVitie’s goodies to thank her for her years of volunteering at CLIC Villa, the charity’s Home from Home in Edinburgh.
She started volunteering at the house after her son Euan was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was three years old, back in 1998. Euan is now a healthy 22-year-old, but his mother has continued to work at the Home from Home, which provides free accommodation for families affected by cancer in the young.
Kirsten said: “It’s a surreal moment when it happens and you’re told that you child has cancer. It’s like you’re in a nightmare. The house was absolutely brilliant. It really was a home away from home for us. It was a haven of normality away from the world of hospitals and treatment and that made a big difference for us.”
